Misty Dreams
by StarJade
Summary: A sacrifice to save her brothers and a promise to keep silent until the sacrifice is complete , Sakura falls in love with a cold prince but can never speak a word. Based on ‘ The Six Swans’ COMPLETED
1. A Capture

Chapter One

Misty Dreams

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Card Captor Sakura

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starjade

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Genre: Romance/Fantasy

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Rated: Pg 13

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Summary: A sacrifice to save her brothers and a promise to keep silent until the sacrifice is complete , Sakura falls in love with a cold prince but can never speak a word. Based on ' The Six Swans'

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A Capture

Sakura walked over the hills , her feet sore and her hands swollen twice its size. Tears ran down her cheeks as she struggled up the hills, carrying only one pack on her back and only one water bottle.

Keep going....Soon , you'll be free , Sakura thought in her head as she continued the treacherous walk.

Sakura felt her breathing grow and her heart clench as she forced herself to keep going. She wasn't going to give up , not just yet!

The sun was high up in the sky , it's heat rays burning into her back. She felt sweat roll off her face in large drops and she knew that there was little time left until she would collapse.

As she climbed the last rolling hill , she saw a clear , beautiful lake before her. It was sparkling with light and it made her shoulder's sag in relief.

Water! she thought in her head and raced down the hill towards the water. Her auburn hair flew out behind her and it was the first time , she felt free. Free as a bird...

She reached the water , nearly tripping. She put her hands into the icy cold waters and lifted it to her mouth. The delicious trickle of water floated down her throat and she smiled.

" Hey! Who's that?"

Sakura looked up. A boat....There was a boat riding to her....and there was Li Kingdom Soldiers on it! Sakura held in a scream and she turned around , ready to bolt. Instead , her foot slipped and she fell backwards into the lake. The water pushed her out forcefully into deeper waters and suddenly she heard a splash behind her.

A man with chestnut hair was swimming after her. Sakura wanted to scream but she held it in and started to swim frantically in the opposite way. Yet the powerful man had caught up to her and grabbed her around the waist.

Sakura hit her fists on his chest but his hands were tight around her waist. Sakura finally punched him on the cheek and with a surprised yelp he let go of her. Sakura wriggled away and swam as hard as she could , away from the enemy. Yet he had grabbed her on the wrist and Sakura pulled against him , but she was too weak. He grabbed her around the waist again and pulled her to the boat. He picked her up and dumped her in the boat. Tears fell from her eyes.

I'm being captured by Li Soldiers, she thought miserably as she stared at the three men who stood around her.

" Why'd you do that?" asked a man with navy hair to the man with the chestnut hair. " What are we going to do with her?"

The chestnut man glared at him. " She was clearly in need of help. Look at her! Half starving , with rags instead of decent clothes and nearly dehydrated!"

The man with the short brown hair growled , " Yah , but she's from the Kinomoto Land, Syaoran!"

" Shut up , Yamazaki! She's just a child! She's not old enough to do any damage!"

The three looked at her and she glared rebelliously back at them. One of them leaned down next to her.

" What's your name , girl?"

She stared into his amber eyes and spat at his feet. He jumped back , surprised.

" Wow , she's got fire!" said the one with the navy hair.

" We didn't need your opinion , Eriol!" Syaoran snapped.

Sakura wrapped her arms around her knees , curling herself as small as she could go. Li Soldiers were evil , and did cruel things to prisoners. Hadn't she seen the remains of a Kinomoto village , after they were done with it??

" What is your name?" Syaoran asked again , relentlessly.

Sakura just stared at him, looking like she didn't understand a word they said. Suddenly , Eriol grabbed her arm and squeezed it as tight as he could. Sakura winced , but said not one word.

" What the hell are you doing?" Syaoran yelled.

Eriol smirked. " I don't even know if this girly talks!"

Syaoran stared at Sakura and Sakura lowered her head. It was quite true. They were clever enough , finding out so easily that she was a muted girl....Sakura stared at her hands for a long time. It hadn't always been like this before. There was a time when she spoke freely , said tales that cheered up the grimmest person. She had screamed her pain and laughed her joy.....

It was a peaceful family , in a Kingdom far away from civilization. A small Kingdom , with a small castle , nestled deep in the forest. The children grew up with the forest in their veins , and they knew the forest inside out.

The King and Queen lived happily for many years. They had seven children , six boys and one girl.

The oldest was Touya , a man with leadership skills in his veins. He was highly respected and was training to be a warrior.

The next was Kosumo , a soft quiet man , with poetry in his blood. He never was harsh to a single being and was the most looked up to in the whole family.

The next were twins , Hiro and Eiden. They were reckless boys , full of mischief and cunning. They were often the ones that made the family laugh on a sorrowful day and the most determined to fight in the wars to protect their land. Hiro also had a very soft spot for animals.

The next was Yukito, a boy with intelligence. He was buried in his books , reading day after day , with a knowledge so vast , it surprised the whole family.

And the last brother was Yamazaki , a secretive boy and the closest to Sakura. He had a sixth sense almost , that helped him see into the future. He always remained aloof from the six of them, always away in the forest.

The last child was Sakura. She was a sweet , forgiving girl who's trust and faith in her family was astounding. She understood all her brothers , especially Yamazaki , who shared a special bond between the two.

On one fateful day , their dear mother fell sick to a horrendous disease. She died in less than two days and the whole Kingdom was broken. Nearly ten years after , the King remarried once more.

And that is where our story begins...

a/n: Hello , ya'll. I hope you don't get bored with my new story! It's based on the story of The Six Swans and I also took some twists from the book , Daughter of the Forest. I hope you guys like this story , is going to be real romance! Lol!

Review , aight?


	2. A Memory

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Chapter Two

Card Captor Sakura

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Misty Dreams

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~starjade~

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A Memory

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A Year Before....

Softly , like a breeze floating in soft waves over the water, rippling on gentle tendrils of air was a young girl's voice. Sweet and quiet , it was , full of innocence and happiness. 

The voice brought out the birds twitters and the rustles of leaves...it caused the sun to blanket the world in a coat of warmth and glitter on the lakes like a pot of diamonds hanging in the air.

A King with sad eyes watched over the girl as she sat in the garden , swinging back and forth in the whirl of cherry blossoms. A tear ran down his cheek as he watched his only daughter hug herself tightly as if she was blocking out a crash of cold air in the warm day.

His daughter was sad...

Someone at the door knocked loudly , startling him out of his stupor. Quickly , wiping his cheeks and positioning the grand crown on his head once more , Fujitaka opened the door.

In walked his trusted advisor ,smiling gently at him.

" Fujitaka , you mustn't dwell in the past. She died so long ago , you should be over that stage in your life and going on." The advisor said , his eyes watching as Fujitaka settled onto the couch.

Fujitaka closed his eyes tightly and could almost feel the gentle touch , the brush of her hair across his face , her smile...

" I can't forget Nadeshiko , advisor. She's a part of my soul..." he trailed off , knowing that the advisor wouldn't understand.

The advisor nodded. " I know you can't forget her....and I'm not asking you to. But your going to have to remarry in the next month or so."

Fujitaka frowned. " Why?"

The advisor shrugged helplessly. " In the Kinomoto book , it says clearly on page one hundred and four that ever ruler must have a spouse. We have held it off as long as we could , King Fujitaka."

Fujitaka's head bowed. " I just can't..."

The advisor patted Fujitaka's arm. " Think of it as helping your children. They haven't had a mother figure in their lives for so long...."

Fujitaka remembered that sweet lilting voice that floated through his window....the sadness that coated the voice like a dark cape that only clothed the pained and the weary.

" Alright..." Fujitaka sighed. " For my children..."

~~~~~****~~~~

Touya and Yukito ran through the hallways , their feet pounding on the wood floors. They burst into Sakura's room , their faces stricken.

Sakura rose from her bed , her face confused. "What's wrong , brothers?"

Yukito gestured helplessly. " Our new...stepmother...downstairs..."

Sakura's emerald eyes widened. " Stepmother??"

Touya nodded , his voice cold. " I can't believe it. Father remarried to keep the Kingdom... how could he even think of replacing Mother?"

Sakura's eyes filled with tears. A new mother....she couldn't see it either. How could she replace Nadeshiko?

She sighed. She knew her father was unhappy , maybe he needed a woman in his life to make him happy...

Sakura rose her face to her brothers and shook her head. " Touya , Yukito , we should respect our new stepmother. Of course she can't replace Mother....but Father needs a wife....can't you see how sad he's been these past days?"

Yukito nodded. " He has been quite lonely....I guess we should give this woman a chance..."

Sakura grinned at her brothers. " Lets go see her , then!"

The three trooped out the door and down the flights of stairs to the front parlour. The discovered their other brothers , Hiro , Kosumo , Eidan and Yamazaki were already there. Sakura looked through the crowd of people , searching for her father. 

Finally , she found him and she grinned. 

" Father!" she yelled and ran towards him. Her father smiled and wrapped her in a hug. 

A cough was heard beside them. Sakura looked up and gasped. It was a stern looking woman , with thin lips and black hair pulled tightly away from her face in a tight knot and wrinkles lining her forehead. Her eyes were small and her nose was pointy and her eyebrows were deeply arched and she rose one at Sakura.

" And who is this?" she asked Fujitaka.

Fujitaka smiled fondly at Sakura. " My youngest child....Sakura."

The woman smiled , though her smile seemed forced. " A pleasure."

Sakura stared at his woman. Why did her eyes grow so cold when she saw her?

Her brothers made their way through the crowd and the woman frowned deeply. As all introductions were made , her father looked at the stern woman.

" Please meet your stepmother , children. Her name is Oribia and I hope you'll make her feel welcome in our home."

Sakura tried to smile at her new mother but Oribia glared at her.

" I'm sure we'll have a rather...pleasant time....shouldn't we?" Oribia said , her voice drippy and saucy. 

Fujitaka smiled , tiredly and after a few closing statements started to make his way to bed and the crowd soon dispersed. 

Soon , Sakura was alone with her mother.

" Hello , Oribia. Shall I lead you to your room?" Sakura asked , cheerfully.

Oribia gave her a dirty look and looked around herself carefully. Then , without warning , she grabbed Sakura's hair and pulled her towards her. Sakura yelped at the pain.

Oribia stuck her face in Sakura's and growled , " I don't want anything to do with children , and I will make sure that you children will be gone from my life. For you , you cheerful , petty brat , you'll get the worst punishment of all. Now shut your trap , and do whatever I say. Otherwise you'll be in for it!"

With that she flung Sakura away and Sakura landed on a heap on the floor , her head throbbing with pain. Oribia snorted and spit at Sakura before she turned around and swept away.

Sakura's eyes filled with tears. Her father mustn't have been aware of this Oribia's real personality...how will he ever live with her? 

Sakura never missed her mother more than she did now...she wrapped her arms around her legs and let a tear fall down her cheek.

" Mother , come back to me...." she whispered.

~~~~~****~~~~

As the months flew by , Sakura was forced to do Oribia's dirty work. Not a word of complaint was ever uttered from Sakura's lips and she did it respectfully. Everyday , she'd pray and wished....she wished for a happy life with her father and her brothers away from Oribia.

Oribia treated her brothers painfully as well. No matter how well they did in their studies , their work , anything that gave them joy , Oribia would suck their happiness away like a whirlpool , throwing criticism , insults in their faces. She fired all the servants , except for one who was her personal maidservant and made her brothers do the housework. 

Her brothers plotted against her in private , but never a word of complaint in front of her. This was their stepmother , after all , and that called for respect.

But Sakura and her brothers were not aware of the poison that flowed through her veins instead of blood...they did not know the true wickedness that made up Oribia's heart....but they were soon to find out.

As soon as the flutter of the wing of a Swan....

~~~~~****~~~~

Sakura bent down in front of her garden , carefully planting her herbs. Ever since her mother had died , Sakura had grown interested in the healing arts. 

She planted as many herbs as she could , plants that helped her heal cuts , bruises and even major injuries. It always helped when her brothers came back from war, fighting with the Li Kingdom.

She was quite partial with the herbs , and never let them out of her sight. She knew that if she could save one life , she would give up her own to save theirs. 

" Sakura!" Oribia screeched. 

Sakura looked up startled. Oribia was calling her! Quickly she wrapped her skirts in her hand and leapt into the mansion , hurrying up the stairs and grabbing a cloth bag , which she slung over her shoulder. She hurried to Oribia's vast room and halted a the doorway , panting.

" Yes?" she asked , her voice out of breath.

Oribia glared at her. She was standing on a stool , wearing a loose pink dress.

" Didn't I tell you that you were to fit me in my dress?" Oribia whispered , dangerously.

Sakura nodded. " Yes you did , but I was busy tending to my garden and I-"

" SHUT UP AND DO IT!" Oribia yelled at the top of her lungs. Sakura jumped startled.

" Alright.." she whispered and quickly opened up her cloth bag. Taking out a couple of needles , she stuck some in her mouth and took a measuring line. 

She started to round the Queen , tightening what needed to be tightened and loosening what needed to be loosened.

Oribia sighed , bored. She checked her nails and said out loud in the quiet room , " I'm thinking of renovating the whole castle."

Sakura didn't know what to say so she kept quiet.

" I was thinking of replacing these horrid gold carpets with red ones and maybe refurnish the front parlour. I was also thinking of getting rid of that horrendous garden-"

" NO!" Sakura shouted , the needles from her mouth dropping to the floor.

Oribia blinked and whirled her head towards Sakura. " Excuse me?"

Sakura's face stared back strongly at Oribia. " Don't get rid of the garden. I will not allow you to do this!"

Oribia cackled. " And why not?"

Sakura glared at her. " My mother started that garden and she loved that place more than any place in the world. I need that Garden.....it contains my herbs that I use all the time and-"

Oribia guffawed. " Do I care about your mother? No! Do I care about you?? NO! The garden will go down!"

Sakura's eyes widened. " You better not , or I'll-"

Oribia scowled. " Or you'll what , Sakura? What will you do?"

Anger flooded Sakura and she whirled on her heel and stomped out the door. Oribia's eyes were wide with surprise. This was the fist display of anger and emotion in a long time...

Oribia got off the stool and cried , " Where are you going , missy?"

She chased after Sakura as she stomped down the hall and was about to grab her arm when a voice interrupted them.

" What is going on?"

Oribia's face changed. It was Fujitaka...

" Oh , Fujitaka , darling..." Oribia started , but Sakura interrupted her.

" Father , Oribia wants to get rid of the garden! The one that Mother loved so much!"

Fujitaka's eyes filled with tears. " Oribia? Is that true?"

Oribia glared at Sakura and whispered , " No , I would never do such a foul thing!"

Fujitaka nodded. " Lets make sure that never happens , then."

Fujitaka walked off , alone in his stupor. Oribia wrenched on Sakura's arm. 

" You will pay , missy!" She growled and stomped off to her room. Sakura rubbed her arm and stared after Oribia , her eyes wide with fear.

What was Oribia capable of?

~~~~~~~~~******~~~~~~~

The front parlour was silent with a cold atmosphere that made the warmest hearted person shiver with the ice like air that seemed to surround the room.

" Prince , we have another woman who would like to see you..." the advisor said , his face down in respect and fear.

The prince's face was bowed and he nodded slightly. The advisor beckoned to the woman who stood at the doorway. She pranced in , her skirts full of petticoats , and her shirt tight against her skin. A silk cloth was draped over her arms and jewels hung around her neck and on her fingers.

All the advisors and all of the Prince's sisters hung around him , smiling at the woman , hoping that she would be the one that would catch his reluctant eye.

" May I present to you , Princess Korila of the Lachester Kingdom." The advisor called out and she started to walk down the red carpet , her hip wiggling , her smile flirtatious and growing wider as she saw the Prince.

" Hello , Prince Li," the Princess called out , her voice whispery and sweet.

The prince looked up only once and scowled hard at her face. His amber eyes flashed with dislike and ridicule.

" Did you get that dress out of the garbage dump? What are you doing here? Go back to wherever you came from and don't come back!" The prince roared out and everyone's shoulder's sagged. He didn't like this one either!

The girl , however flushed hard " Excuse me! How dare you treat a lady like this-" she was about to continue , but a bodyguard had grabbed her arms and was dragging her out of the room. The prince was now fit to be mad. He got up from his chair and started to pace the room.

" Why are you people bringing me these fools?" He yelled at the advisors.

One of his sisters went up to him and put a hand on his shoulder. " Come on , Syaoran! We went through a hundred woman and you haven't preferred one of them!" 

Syaoran scoffed. He was a handsome man , with bright intelligent amber eyes and a soft face. He had chestnut hair that hung in bangs that framed his face and a solid build from years of Martial Arts training. He grew up a serious boy , with not one stroke of kindness in his heart. 

He was polite when he was forced to be and he hardly ever smiled. Yet when he did , he looked like all the other sixteen year old boys out in the Kingdom , enjoying their lives.

In order to be King , he had to have a wife. Yet he was so picky , that even through a hundred woman , they had found not one that even sparked any interest in that ice rimmed heart of his.

Futtie and the other sisters were beginning to think it was hopeless. He just sat there on his throne , yelling at all the woman that entered the room.

No one really realised the turmoil going through that stiff man's heart. He wasn't as cold as everyone thought he was and he was looking for a woman. He had not found her yet , but he knew who she was. 

Every night she would look at him with her bright green eyes but not one word would be spoken from her sweet lips. She was the girl who smiled at him in every one of his dreams. And he would not rest until he found her. 

a/n: Aww , isn't that sweet? I love your reviews , absolutely! But I need more! I need more reviews!!!! Lol , please review my story and I promise more chappies , aight!

Luvyall!

~starjade~


	3. A Prisoner

Chapter Three

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Card Captor Sakura

Misty Dreams

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~starjade~

A Prisoner

A yell was heard in the front parlour. Scuffling and screaming soon followed it and Sakura's eyes grew wide where she sat in her garden , pulling weeds. Picking up her skirts , she ran to the front parlour.

" I got a prisoner , Father!" Touya yelled. His face was red with perspiration and a hooded person tried to escape , but Touya wrenched his wrists and the prisoner cried out.

" A prisoner?" Fujitaka mumbled , his eyes vacant and clueless.

Oribia stared at the prisoner with cold eyes. " From which side is this Prisoner from?"

By this time , Hiro and Eiden and eagerly came up , and took the prisoner from Touya's hands , holding him up from his arms. 

" He's from the Li Kingdom...you can see from his insignia!" Touya grunted out , and pulled on the man's sleeve , showing the insignia on his arm.

Fujitaka's eyes flashed. " Does he have any information that we need to know?"

Touya turned to the prisoner and whacked him straight across the cheek. The prisoner choked down a yell and glared at everyone in the hallway with angry ruby red eyes. Sakura felt herself shiver with fear as his eyes roamed the room, the danger and fear clear in those fiery eyes.

" What line are you from?" Touya growled. 

The prisoner stared at Touya with contempt and yelled in Chinese , " You Kinomotos are disgusting , filthy people who's aim is to rampage the earth with your spears and your arrows , killing everyone in sight."

Sakura gasped. Only Sakura, Yukito and Yamazaki knew Chinese and no one else understood the man's vile words.

" What did you say?" Touya asked confused. He turned to Sakura. " What did he say??"

Sakura gulped. " He said ....he said....."

Yamazaki quickly filled in , " He said he came from the second line."

Sakura and Yukito stared at Yamazaki in confusion , but Touya believed it and stared at the prisoner , deep in thought.

" Well , he couldn't know anything important if he was from the second line. Just lock him up , maybe we can get some ransom out of this." Touya turned around and walked out and Hiro and Eiden took him to the dungeons.

Sakura shivered hard. She had never been so close to a Li person before. She had never seen one , in her case! They were so alone here in the forest that she never thought one person from the enemy's side could ever reach here!

But the Li's were normal human beings! From the stories that the Kingdom whispered to each other , Li's were hideous people , who loved to kill for blood and just for fun. They had no fear. Yet this prisoner.....he clearly held fear in his eyes, and he was just as human as any one of them.

She turned around , shivering, and saw Yamazaki watching her.

" Yamazaki?" she asked , curiously. " What is it?"

Yamazaki stared at her , deep in her eyes. " I need your help."

Sakura blinked. " My help?"

Yamazaki strode towards her and looked straight into her eyes.

" I can't stand this war. I can't stand the long lasting feud between the Kinomotos and the Li's. I can't stand the torture, the killings , the screams and the tears...all for nothing! That prisoner...he'll be tortured for information , we have to get him out! You'll have to do something for me.."

Sakura stared at him confusedly. " What are you talking about , Yamazaki?"

Yamazaki sighed. " I need you to.... I need you to poison the guards...I'm going to help the prisoner escape."

Sakura gasped. " Poison...our own men? I can't do that , Yamazaki , you know I can't.."

Yamazaki looked into her eyes and repeated , " I need you."

Sakura looked down and then nodded , a bit reluctantly. " O-Okay , Yamazaki. Whatever you say..."

Yamazaki smiled at her and then looked around. " Be here at 6:00 tonight. Slip the poison into their glasses and then meet me at the entrance way in another half hour."

Sakura nodded and turned away. She felt her heart pounding and hurried down the corridor , to her garden where she knew monkshood grew. 

Turning a corner, she stumbled into Oribia , who gave her a push. 

" Watch where your going , you silly brat!" Oribia growled. 

Sakura looked up , frightened. Oribia stared down at her , and suddenly , the woman smiled. 

" Your in marriageable years , aren't you , my dear?" Oribia whispered. Sakura held back a whimper as Oribia grinned. " I'd hate to see you without a husband , my dear. Though the future seems to hold no hope for you..."

Laughing quietly , she walked away from Sakura, who was shaking. She didn't like the way Oribia's eyes gleamed with mischief and evil. What was she planning?

~~~~~***~~~~

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Present Time...

Syaoran stared at the girl whose eyes were like fire and whose arm's wrapped around her thin legs , as if protecting herself.

Can she talk? Or maybe she just didn't want to?

" Can you understand me?" Syaoran whispered softly to the frightened girl.

Yamaki growled , " She's from the Kinomoto lands , what do you expect? She doesn't know Chinese any more than we know Japanese. Just throw her off , we don't need her."

Eriol looked worried. " As much as I hate to say this , the Kinomoto Soldiers are hot on our trail. They're going to catch up to us soon , and we don't need her as a burden. She's too sickly , she won't make it."

Syaoran glared at all of them. " Just be quiet , will you?"

Yamaki threw up his hands , tired. Syaoran peered into the girl's face , but her auburn hair hung in it, and blocked her eyes from his view. He sighed. Why was he doing this anyways? This girl was of the enemy's land , the Kinomoto Soldiers were hot on their trail and she would be just a burden...

The girl was shivering as their boat pulled up on land. All of them climbed out , taking their packs. Syaoran held his arms out to the girl , but the girl turned away. Finally ,he grabbed her around her waist , pulling her out of the boat and into the cave , dropping her into the corner.

She didn't say a word , but the rage and defiance was clearly expressed as she held herself rigid against him. Syaoran blew out his breath and shook his head , helping Yamaki as he built a fire near the girl.

The girl , however angry as she was , looked grateful for the warmth. Her wet clothes clung to her thin body and Syaoran could see that she would develop a fever if she wasn't helped.

" Here."

The girl looked up surprised, as a long shirt was thrown at her and a belt to hold it up. Eriol looked at Syaoran surprised as he turned his back. 

" What are you doing?" Eriol whispered.

" Giving her clothes."

" Syaoran...god , what are we going to do with her? She's from Kinomoto lands , we can't keep her! What do you think your family would say?" Yamaki retorted.

Syaoran looked at them , his eyes flashing. " They would say that I failed in my mission. That's all they would care about , not a sickly girl that would probably go unnoticed in the household."

Eriol ran a hand through his hair. " You are the most stubborn person I have ever met , Syaoran."

Syaoran grinned slightly and turned around to Sakura. She had changed into the shirt and the belt , that went around her waist twice. She was curled in a ball , near the fire. 

Yamaki brought over her pack , the only thing she carried on her back. " This is all she has...don't think it'd be to much value."

Syaoran shook his head and opened the pack. A glitter met his eyes. It was a necklace...

Without catching the eyes of his friends , he pulled out the necklace. It only had one charm on it....

It was a picture of a wolf.

The Li Insignia.

How could she...how could she have this necklace? There was no way!! 

He glanced back at the girl , his eyes trouble. This necklace belonged to a royal member of their Kingdom. Someone who went missing only a few months back and never came back. 

This was the someone they had been searching for....and with this girl came the clue to finding the missing person.

~~~~~~~~~~****~~~~~

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A couple months back...

Sakura crept along the floor , watching as the guards sipped from their glasses , their eyes growing drowsy. It was only a dab of Monkshood , so they wouldn't die. She watched as they hit the floor and Sakura scuttled away , quickly. 

Her heart pounded as she waited for a half hour, wondering if Yamazaki would succeed in his mission. Finally , it was time. Sakura crept along the shadows , hoping no one would find her. 

She raced across the grass of the courtyard , her heart thumping painfully in her chest. The gateway was only a few yards away , and she ran harder. Finally , she reached the gateway. She looked around. Where was Yamazaki? Did he succeed? Could he have failed??

" Sakura!"

The whisper shook her badly , and she nearly yelped. Turning around quickly , she met the eyes of her brother. Beside him was the prisoner , who looked at the two with a mixture of hatred and confusion in his ruby red eyes.

" Yamazaki?" Sakura whispered. " You got the prisoner! Thank god!"

Yamazaki smiled , but his smile was troubled. " I also found some more disturbing news..."

Sakura blinked at him. " What?" 

The prisoner lifted it's hood. and took off his hat. Black silky locks flowed down and the prisoner spoke in a soft , lilting voice , " My name is Meiling Li."

Sakura gasped. " Your a girl!" she said in Chinese.

The prisoner nodded and Yamazaki sighed. 

" Don't you get it Sakura? Not only is she a girl...she's part of the royal family!"

Sakura backed up. " Your....your a princess?"

The prisoner nodded. " I take it , you are too?"

Sakura blushed. " Not really..."

Yamazaki shook his head. " We have to get the prisoner out of here , before someone finds out that she's a girl and that she's worth one hell of a lot of money. Lets go!"

Sakura looked through the gate and found that there was a carriage outside , waiting. Yamazaki meant to drive the carriage into Li lands...but that couldn't be!

" You can't...it's too dangerous!" Sakura's voice trembled as she gripped Yamazaki's arm in fear.

Yamazaki smiled , reassuringly. " I have to go , sister. I have to save her life before anyone else gets their hands on her."

" You'll be alright...won't you?" Sakura whispered to Yamazaki.

Yamazaki nodded and smiled at her. " Don't worry , I'll be back before anyone realises I'm gone."

With that , he pulled the hood of his cloak over his head and pushed the gate open. It creaked in the silence of the evening and he climbed into the driver's seat.

Meiling looked at Sakura , with a long calculating look. Sakura remembered the stories about the Li people , the mean , conniving folk who did anything to get their way. She looked with fear into her eyes and suddenly , she smiled. 

" There are good people in the Kinomoto lands...like you." 

Sakura looked at her confusedly and Meiling took off a necklace around her neck. It glittered in the evening light and Sakura gasped. It was beautiful. On the silver chain , hung a silver wolf , the insignia of Li Lands.

Sakura accepted the necklace , her face full of awe.

" You'll be respected by all Li People , if you have this necklace. Good luck."

With that , Meiling rose the hood of her cloak over her head and climbed onto the carriage. Sakura watched as the carriage rolled down the pathway , and she held the necklace tightly in her hands. .

She hoped Yamazaki and Meiling didn't fall under any trouble....otherwise , they would both be in serious mayhem.

~~~~~~~~*******~~~~~~~~

Oribia stood in her room , her face scrunched in absolute anger. She had lived for a year with these brats in the house and she wasn't going to stand it any longer.

Especially that girl....that horrid girl , she wanted to strangle all the life out of her pretty little body!

Oribia tried to calm herself down as she dropped two drops from her vile into a simmering pot. From there she dropped six drops of blood. One from each of the brothers.

She had not gotten Sakura's blood....but it did not matter. Sakura's fate she would deal with in a more horrible way than could ever be perceived. 

Dark light flashed from the pot reflecting onto her eager face. It simmered and popped and boiled and one last clap of thunder that seemed to resound through the whole castle told her that the potion was ready.

She ladled the potion into a single vile and topped it with a cork. She lifted it into the air and smiled at it , her smile one of pure evil.

" They will get what they deserved!" Oribia smirked and hurried out the door. She leapt down the stairs to the kitchen where in every plate she dropped five drops from her vile. 

Only one was needed , but she wanted to be careful , in case they missed the potion. She then took out another vile and poured it into the King's drink.

He was to be taken care of as well!

a/n: I LOVEEE You all! You guys might be confused , and I'll clear some things up for you alright?

Kinomoto Family: Touya , Kosumo Yamazaki , Hiro , Eiden , Yukito

* Fujitaka and Stepmother , Oribia

Li Family: Sisters , Fuuti , Sheifa , Feimei , Fanren , Syaoran , Meiling

* Yelan

Syaoran's friends: Yamaki and Eriol

Why He's in Kinomoto Lands? He's looking for his cousin , Meiling

Is Sakura mute? That question is answered....probably in the next chapter!

I also made a mistake! In the first chapter , its actually , Yamaki instead of Yamazaki for Syaoran's friend! Hehehe...Yah, I'm really stupid! lol! 

REVIEW! PLEEEEEEEEEEEEASE!

Luvyalotz,

~starjade~


	4. A Swan

Chapter Four

****

Misty Dreams

Card Captor Sakura

~starjade~

A Swan

" Where is he?" yelled Touya impatiently. They had been waiting for a long time for Yamazaki to come back and it was almost dinner.

Sakura shrugged, her eyes troubled. " I-I don't know..."

Touya whirled around and gripped her shoulders. " If I find out that you know..."

Kosumo said softly, " Let her go. What would she know of Yamazaki's whereabouts?"

Touya sighed and let go of his sister. " Yeah...I know. But Yamazaki has been gone since last night."

Suddenly, Hiro ran up to them. " The guards are having a fit! The prisoner escaped!"

" WHAT?" Touya exploded. They all followed Hiro into the front parlour and Touya exchanged a few hasty words with the guards. They were trembling and snatches of their conversation came back to them.

" W-We don't know how it happened, sir-"

" We just blanked out-"

" One of the other guards are severely sick-"

Touya came back, running a hand nervously through his hair. " Great. Just great. But I guess there is nothing to be worried about. The soldier was only from the second ranks...but we could have gotten a lot of information out of him...like their next attacks...damn!" Touya swore and kicked at the nearest statue.

Eiden went up to his brother and said, " Don't worry. We'll find that prisoner, if its the last thing we do!"  
Yukito sighed. " That may well be, but what of Yamazaki? Where is our youngest brother?"

" I'm right here."

All of them whirled around and met a torn, tattered boy, covered with dirt and scratches. Sakura could see some blood running down his arm and her eyes widened with fear and worry.

" Yamazaki!" She yelled, running up to him. 

His eyes were occupied and guilty. He quickly said in an undertone, " Don't make anything obvious." He then looked up at his brothers.

" Hey, brothers. I'm sorry I was gone for such a long time...I was in the forest and there was a rabbit about to be eaten and I had to save it..."

Hiro nodded, understandingly, but Touya gritted his teeth.

" YOU TOOK 24 HOURS TO SAVE A RABBIT?" He yelled, incredulously.

Yamazaki stepped back. " Hey, there were other things I had to do , alright? I'm here now."

Kosumo said, " Just let it go , Touya. Lets go have dinner. Father's waiting for us."  
Touya glared at Yamazaki. "Fine. But I want some answers out of you after dinner!"

They all trooped out of the front parlour into the dinner room, but Sakura hung back. After everyone had left, Sakura whirled around to face Yamazaki.

" What. Happened." She asked, grimly.

Yamazaki sat down hard on the marbled floor. " Oh, god..."

Sakura knelt down beside him, and started to tend to his cut. She noticed a lot of other cuts on his body and her forehead wrinkled up in worry and confusion.

" Where did these cuts come from? How is Meiling? Is she okay? What happened?"

Yamazaki tore himself away from his sister and buried his face in his hands. " While we were driving along, these huge band of...people, I don't know what they were , walked right in front of us. They just walked right in our path. They were the weirdest looking people, with paint on their faces, and headbands stuck full of feathers and leather clothing. I got out , and I asked them to move."

He let out a staggering sigh. " They asked for Meiling. I don't think they knew who she was...but they just asked for the 'girl.' I told them no, and they insisted again and again, and I told them no , and then I rose my spear and told them to leave, or I'll take drastic measures. Then these two guys charged at me and we got in a full out scuffle. They knocked me out and when I came to..."

Yamazaki looked down, guiltily. " Meiling was gone."

Sakura leapt back, her mouth open in horror. "Who were they?"

Yamazaki shrugged, helplessly. " I don't know. I can tell they weren't civilized folk...probably lived in the forest. I could tell they weren't used to being out in the open and they seemed quite in tune with nature. I remember hearing about these bands of people living in the forest and surviving off the forest. I think that's who they were."

Sakura shook her head confusedly. " What did they want of Meiling?"

Yamazaki put his head n his hands once again. " I have no idea."

" Sakura! Yamazaki! Come, the food is getting cold!"

Sakura grabbed Yamazaki's hand and pulled him up. " Lets go eat. After dinner, we'll figure everything out.."

~~~~~~~*****~~~~~

__

Present...

It was morning, and Sakura looked around quietly. Only the man who was named Syaoran was awake, and was busy with the packs.

She watched as he pulled out long strips of dried meat. He noticed her finally and there was a look in his eye that seemed to betray some kind of desperate emotion...Sakura stared at him, quietly observing.

" You hungry?" Syaoran asked. Sakura made no sign that she understood. Finally, he sighed and held out the strip of dried meat. Sakura shuddered. She wouldn't touch it.

Syaoran sighed. " Fine, have it your way. At least drink some water." Sakura stared at him. 

Syaoran made a motion, as if he was drinking. He pointed to the cup. " Water." He then pointed to her mouth. " Drink."

He poured some into a cup and she accepted it, sipping quietly. He turned his back on her, and Sakura looked around. She was only a couple of steps away from the cave entrance. If she could quietly slip away, and run, maybe...

Sakura inched away from Syaoran, one step by another, her heart beating. As soon as she reached the entrance, she turned around to bolt out of the cave.

But then a hand gripped her wrist, tightly.

" Where are you going?" 

Sakura whipped around, meeting a pair of cold, amber eyes. Sakura groaned inwardly as he twisted her wrist painfully.

He watched her and spoke in a low, dangerous voice, " You aren't going anywhere. Until you tell me where you got this."

He held out the necklace and it glittered and twirled. Sakura's eyes widened in fear. The necklace that Meiling had given her! How did he get it? He must've searched her pack...did he see the other things she had in there?

" Tell. Me. Where. You. Got. It." He enunciated each word dangerously, his cold eyes unrelenting. Sakura didn't speak a word, but a drop of sweat rolled down her forehead.

" Dammit!" He swore and turned away from her, letting go. Sakura rubbed her wrist and stared at him. Why did he want to know where she got the necklace? Unless...

" That necklace...could lead to the disappearance of a very important Li Princess...a month and a half I've been searching in this god forsaken Kingdom, dodging Kinomoto soldiers just to find a clue, one clue to where she might be. And you.....you , a dishevelled, scruffy girl I pulled from the river...you appear with the one clue I've been looking for and...and...!" 

Here , he kicked a stone hard and it bounced off the wall with a loud ping. " YOU CAN'T EVEN TALK!"

Sakura trembled. Was he close to Meiling? Maybe if she told him, he'd let her go. But...But, she couldn't talk. And since she couldn't talk...he'd keep her until she could. Sakura's shoulders sagged. They were three experienced men in combat. She saw their knives, swords, spears and arrows...they could easily trample her. She could never escape. 

  
The other two were awakening. Sakura watched Yamaki rise, yawning.

" Syaoran , man , what are we going to do? How the hell are we going to get out of this kingdom? Fujitaka's men are everywhere.."

Syaoran shrugged, still rigid from his loud explosion. " We'll cope."

Eriol paused, looking at Sakura for a moment. " Besides, there's that girl...."

Yamaki shouted, exasperated, " Just leave her here! Obviously , she's from the Kinomoto Lands and since we found her alone, she knows how to survive in these accursed lands. She's just going to drag us down!"

Eriol nodded , sombrely. " That's true. We don't know anything about this girl. We've given her shelter, food and clothes, I think that's enough."

Syaoran's eyes flashed dangerously. " She's coming with us."

Eriol held up his hands in defence. " Alright, alright!"

Yamaki growled, " I see no point...Yelan will be really mad."

Syaoran shrugged, an uncomfortable look replacing the dangerous one. " I don't care. She's coming with us. We'll have to leave soon , anyways, the Kinomoto soldiers are hot on our trail. How about we split up, since you guys seem to complain about her a lot."

Eriol's eyes grew worried. " Split up? Are you sure?"

Syaoran nodded. " You and Yamaki take the original trail, their probably more likely to follow you. I'll take the girl and meet you at the border."

Yamaki blinked. " You really want to take this girl along? What does she have that would benefit us? We know nothing about her! She won't be accepted into our household, she's part of the Kingdom that kidnapped Princess Meiling, you know it too!"

Syaoran's eyes glanced at her for a fleeting second and Sakura felt her heart sink. Now he going to tell them...that she was the key to finding out where Meiling was....

" We're taking her. End of conversation. Now lets get a move on."

The two of them exchanged looks and began to pack. They left before Sakura and Syaoran, clasping Syaoran's hand before they left. Their swords were bare, and Sakura knew they were aware of the danger of being in the Kinomoto lands.

Syaoran looked up at the sky, his eyes searching. The cave was silent without Eriol and Yamaki and the sun bore down on them , heating their backs.

" It's likely to be a drought in these areas...not a drop of rain in sight." He stared at Sakura, who turned away. 

" Where are your shoes?"

Sakura stared at him and then down at her feet. Her shoes had washed away, and there was no getting it back. The soles of her feet were torn and bloody and she felt her cheeks redden.

Suddenly, he knelt down and grabbed a roll of cloth from his pack. He grabbed her foot and began wrapping the cloth around her feet. Sakura blinked. What was he doing?

Finally, he had wrapped the cloth around both her feet and his mouth tilted as he looked at her. " Your feet won't take any more damage! It's a rocky path we're taking...lets go."

Sakura stared at her feet. He actually did a good job...even if it was going to fall apart any second. She watched him as he grabbed their packs and threw hers at her. Was the only reason he was in Kinomoto lands was Meiling? Or was there another reason? Were they spies?

" Lets go..." Syaoran drew out, his eyes still holding that occupied look in them. Sakura began to follow him as he jumped over the rocks.

They went over huge boulders and hills and Sakura was getting tired. Finally, Syaoran grabbed her around the waist and picked her up. Sakura tensed...what the hell was he doing??

" Relax, it'll be faster this way." Syaoran said, his voice not exactly reassuring. Sakura kept herself rigid as he carried her through the pathways and up more hills. Finally , she began to relax. 

Minutes passed, hours passed and Sakura knew Syaoran was getting tired. He had let her go to climb a huge hill and had pulled her up after him. _He was doing quite a lot for a girl who can't talk, _Sakura mused. How close is he to Princess Meiling? Her personal body guard? Maybe that was why...

He picked her up again, but then he tensed. Sakura grew confused. 

" Look! We cornered him!" 

  
The shout resounded off the top of the hill and Sakura felt goose-bumps travel up and down her arms_. Oh no.. _Syaoran let her slip from his grasp slowly , and she looked around herself.

****

Kinomoto soldiers.

  
Circling them both. 

A dozen of them , holding bare swords.

~~~~~~~***~~~~~

__

Past...

Sakura hurried to her spot at the dinner table. Oribia sat beside her, her face crinkled in disgust.

" Get another seat." She snapped.

Sakura replied calmly, " I'll sit where I want , thank you."

Oribia smirked. " Not anymore...."

Sakura glanced at her stepmother , but she just turned away , an evil glint in her eyes. Why was she smirking so much? She had some plan up her sleeve...

A servant came walking in with a long train of servants , all carrying silver platters covered with plates of food.

" Tonight's dinner is courtesy of Madame Oribia..." said the servant and the brothers exchanged glances. Oribia , helping with dinner? That was a change...

Sakura's eyes narrowed. _Something was up.._

The plates were lain before them and Sakura hesitated before taking a bite. Her brothers were enthusiastically eating, as they did everyday, pausing just for a moment to wipe their mouths before tucking in once more. Sakura shook her head, smiling.

She took a bite of her food, a bit hesitantly. It didn't taste wrong...She stared at Oribia again. 

" Eat up, Sakura. You'll need your strength.." Oribia said, her mouth twisting.

Sakura stared at her. " Oribia, why are you so happy?"

Oribia grinned. " None of your business...But you'll find out...quite soon."

Suddenly, her father started to choke. 

" Father?" Sakura gasped, leaping up from the table. Her father was choking, hard now, and her brothers leapt up as well, with exclaims of worry and shock.

" Father!!" Sakura screamed and she ran towards him. He wasn't choking on food....he was choking at the lack of air....

" SOMEBODY HELP!" Sakura yelled, and servants bustled in, taking Father away. Sakura looked around herself , frantically. What had happened? Why was father so sick? 

__

Something was up...

Eiden cried, " I'll get the doctor..."

He got up, but didn't move any farther. Sakura stared at him. What was wrong with him?

" Eiden? You okay?" Touya asked.

Suddenly, Kosumo groaned. " I-I don't feel so-so good..."

" Kosumo!" Yukito yelled. " There's something growing out of your hand!"

" Mine too!" Hiro yelped. Sakura screamed. Indeed, something was growing out of his hand , something white and textured. 

Yamazaki stared at all of them. " Oribia."

Sakura turned to Yamazaki. " What?"

Yamazaki was turning white. Unnaturally white. He was beginning to shrink too, and Sakura leapt back in horror.

" ORIBIA, WHAT DID YOU DO?" Sakura screamed.

The whole time, Oribia was standing back, laughing. Her eyes were gleaming with hatred and disgust. "Time to get rid of your sweet little brothers, Sakura. I've been planning this for a long time. You see, I have a little...what do you call, magic of my own. And just a little drop or two in your brother's plates have landed them into this mess!"

White feathers were floating around the room , blocking Sakura's sight. She screamed, and howled, running around to her brothers, but she couldn't see, couldn't see where her brothers were. She whirled around in a circle, her eyes searching frantically.

Laughter came from behind this chaos and Sakura knew that it belonged to that evil Oribia. 

" What did you DO?" Sakura yelled, her voice pained and frantic.

" Six brothers, one daughter. Living solitarily in the forest. Touya......Kosumo.....Yukito...Hiro....Eiden...and of course Yamazaki..." She said their names, one by one. " A leader, a poet, a learner, a veterinarian, a fighter and a seer. All down in a wave of feathers. To be cursed for the rest of their lives."

The mist of feathers was finally clearing away and with a blast of white light, Sakura saw a swan. A beautiful swan, with a long arching neck , and graceful wings. It was pure white, and it rose into the air, flying around. But there wasn't just one swan. Another was right behind it , and another and another....

Six beautiful swans. 

Sakura collapsed to her knees , her eyes filling with tears. What had just happened? What just HAPPENED? What did Oribia do? Magic? Why did it happen to her brothers? How about her father? 

Were they cursed to be swans forever?  
Suddenly, a voice in her head whispered, _Sakura..._

Sakura...

Run...Run....Run now. Leave, before Oribia does something else.

" Yukito?" Sakura whispered. " Yamazaki?"

__

Run...Run into the forest...

RUN!

Sakura leapt to her feet and bolted out the door. She could hear Oribia's scream of outrage and she could hear the footsteps as she attempted to chase her. But Sakura had made it out into the cluster of trees, but she didn't stop and hide. She kept on running and running....

Until she collapsed in a clearing near a tree, tears running fast down her cheeks. How did this all happen? 

Her brothers. All six of them. Innocent as can be. Turned into Swans. Her father, dying. All because of Oribia.

She wrapped her arms around her legs, and cried. Cried for her brothers, cried for her father, her mother, for Meiling, for the lost soldiers, for her lost future...

" Please...." she whispered into the sky. " Please help me. Mother? Help me..."

a/n: Hope you understood that! I know, quite hard to take in , but I hope you tried at least! It'll make more sense in the next chapter. I LOVE YOUR REVIEWS! Thanx so much for reviewing, but I NEED MOREEEE! More! LIKE RIGHT NOW! MooooooOOOORe!

Lol! I sound quite greedy , don't I?? Hey, I gave you a really REALLY long chapter. SO BE HAPPY!

Lol! Luvyalotz,

~starjade~


	5. A Spell

__

Chapter Four

****

Misty Dreams

Card Captor Sakura

__

*starjade*

A Spell

a/n: Read this chapter carefully, cause it has a lot of important info. Hehehe..

Sakura sobbed, her eyes running with never ending tears as she crouched near the tree , trying to melt herself into the wood. It was taking all the energy out of her to even breath , but yet the tears kept running , faster and faster.

Her brothers, her beloved brothers. All six of them turned into....into...Swans! For goodness sakes, she never knew such a thing was possible! They were so strong , so solid , so...there....and then they were gone into a bundle of flying white feathers graceful and unknowing.

Touya....such a strong leader he was to be, gone...Kosumo, soft and quiet in his ways, always dreaming....gone, Yukito, seeping with knowledge of books and science, gone...Eiden, a warrior at heart, his eyes flashing like the edge of a sword, gone...Hiro, with his loving hands with animals, gone...and Yamazaki, the morals that filled him, the knowledge of things that hadn't yet come to pass....gone...

How could this had happened? How could she had let this happen? 

" I have betrayed you mother....I'm sorry, oh, I'm so sorry..."

Tears dripped down her cheeks as memory after memory flashed through her mind until at last it rested on a memory of her father, smiling distantly as Sakura played on a swing.

Her father..

Now dying at the Kinomoto Household, with only Oribia for company...

Sakura's eyes darkened as she remembered Oribia's screeches of laughter as Sakura stood helplessly as her brothers were turned into swans. 

A flash of her mother suddenly appeared and a few more tears crept out of eyes. " Oh, mother...please help me.."

She wrapped her arms around her legs and shook, trying to calm herself in order to think properly. But suddenly there was a whoosh of air, and leaves brushed past her hair and her cheeks and the trees fell back and forth , twigs hitting each other under the cloudy sky.

" Mother..." She breathed out as a presence made itself known. Her eyes widened with shock as a woman appeared before her, a rim of light outlining her body and a sad smile playing on her lips. 

  
Sakura's heart filled with longing and she reached out with her fingers. " Mother...oh, Mother, I am sorry! I have let you down and I know it. But Oribia came out of nowhere and she has set a curse upon my brothers and my father is dying and I am out here alone , with no food or weapon and...and...and....I don't know what to do!"

Her mother smiled gently.

" It's alright daughter, it's alright. I know what happened."

" Y-you know?" Sakura gasped.

Her beautiful mother nodded slowly. " I know what pain you have gone through and I know what evil has befallen our family. But I have not much time and I cannot solve this problem for you. I have no power to undo Oribia's curse."

Sakura's jaw dropped. " No, mother , you can't say that! There must be something we can do, my brothers can't stay in that form forever! And what about father, he's dying , Mother!"

Nadeshiko nodded. " I am aware of all of this , Sakura....but there is one thread of hope in this situation. The only way to undo this curse....is you. Your sacrifice. You must sacrifice much in order to free your brothers. But this may be too much to ask-"

" No! I'll do anything, anything at all!" Sakura gasped. " Just tell me what to do, and I'll do it."

Nadeshiko smiled sadly. " You have much courage, my daughter. But this task you must do...it is hard, too hard. In order to free your brothers from this curse, you must create six shirts...Six shirts of starwort."

" Starwort?" Sakura breathed. " You can't mean-but that's impossible-"

Starwort was a plant of spiny needles that dug itself in your skin, causing white hot pain. The needles latched itself under your skin and was quite a bad experience , should you ever touch this plant.

Nadeshiko continued, " But that is not all. You must remain silent until those shirts are around your brother's necks. Not a word, not a scream, not a sound can be uttered from your lips until all six shirts are completed. Only you can cut this plant , only you can turn this plant into thread and only you can sew and weave it into a shirt. Once all six shirts are completed, you can call the swans to you , only once, and you must put the shirts around their necks one after another. Not until all six swans have shirts on will the curse be lifted."

Sakura gaped at her mother. She had to do what? But this was asking too much, to labour and speak not a word...how could she survive? But the thought of her brothers pushed her forward and she got up slowly.

" Do you accept this task?" Her mother asked , gently.

Sakura took a deep breath. " Yes....yes I do."

Nadeshiko's eyes grew worried, but a certain glint of pride made them shine. " Here is a pack, with necessary items such as a spindle and a needle as well as a change of clothes and water and a spool of normal thread."

Sakura nodded, trying to look sure of herself.

Nadeshiko smiled and her arms went out. " I must leave now , daughter, but keep this thought inside of you always. I love you , Sakura , my one and only daughter. I love you to the earth's ends.."

  
Sakura's eyes filled with tears and she reached out as well, but all that met her arms was a mist, as Nadeshiko disappeared. Sakura stared at the spot that her mother had been in and turned away.

She will make her mother proud and save her brothers. Determination filled her and she set off into the words, ready to save her family from Oribia.

*********

The Kinomoto guards circled them, their eyes large with excitement. 

" We caught him!" Sakura heard from one of them. " Queen Oribia shall be pleased."

Queen Oribia?? Sakura thought with disgust. Now the Kinomoto people were bowing to Oribia...how could this have happened? Sakura watched them as the came closer and closer, their swords flashing in the bright sun.

Her heart filled with dread as Syaoran put a hand across her, protecting her.

"I have a dagger in the back of my left boot," Syaoran muttered to her , his eyes flicking back and forth. " Take it and run."

Sakura grabbed the dagger out of his boot and Syaoran shot her a glance of confusion and awareness. Well, now he knows she could understand his language, Sakura thought. But now was not the time. The Kinomoto guards seemed wary of this game of cat and mouse and closed in, swearing foully at Syaoran.

" Damn Li bastard," one of the guards sneered. " You killed my brother!"

" Now we shall have our revenge!" One of them whooped. " Prepare to die, son of a bitch!"

Syaoran gripped his sword tightly, and Sakura knew he didn't understand what they were shouting at him, but he understood their tone well enough. One of them leapt at him with a war cry and Syaoran snapped into action , rolling on the ground and flipping him, snatching his sword and plunging his sword into the man's vitals.

" Run!" Syaoran yelled, as two men leapt at him, angry at their comrade's death. " Dammit, run!"

Sakura nodded, frantically , as they all closed in on him, their swords flashing dangerously. She turned to run but two of the swordsmen had spotted her and one of them grabbed her arm.

His eyes peered at her curiously. " Your part of the Kinomoto Kingdom aren't you? What are you doing with the Li bastard?"

The other snorted. " Probably selling him secrets of our kingdom, along with her body."

The one who was gripping his arm, tightened his hold. " Wait a minute...those green eyes...she looks just like Princess Sakura.."

The other turned pale. " No, that couldn't be! All the royal children disappeared!"

The other shrugged. " We'd better take her with us then...just in case."

Sakura's eyes widened. No! She couldn't be taken with them! Oribia would kill her! She turned to Syaoran , who was sweating furiously, jumping up and down with the martial arts skills that were famed in the Li Kingdom. A large cut from his knee to his angle bled through the cloth and she could tell he was wearing out very fast.

Her eyes widened as the man grabbed her arm. She quickly took out the knife she had taken from Syaoran's boot and swiped it across the man's chest.

" AHHH!" The man screamed as he fell. She pushed out of the crowd of men and looked around desperately. She needed help. Syaoran needed help.

Mother, help me! I need your help! She thought, her eyes widening with fright as Syaoran dropped to his knees in pain.

All of a sudden, a storm washed over the sky. Droplets of rain pattered down on them, so fast and so furious that she could hardly see. She reached out blindly, as she was instantly soaked, reaching for Syaoran-

A hand grabbed hers and she blinked. Syaoran! She knew it was him and followed as he dragged her to a nearby cave.

They struggled inside the cave, their breathing uncontrollable and harsh. Collapsing on the floor of the cave, Sakura couldn't think sensibly. God, she was exhausted!

She turned to Syaoran and her breath caught. Syaoran's face was as white as a sheet and his hair hung limp on his forehead, his eyes feverish and pain filled. Her eyes went to the deep cut and she gasped. The cut he received had left a wedge of metal deep in his skin and if it wasn't taken out immediately-

" You-ok-" Syaoran puffed out, his head lolling on his shoulders.

Sakura nodded weakly. What was she going to do? She couldn't just let him die here! 

He's a Li soldier, whispered a voice in her head. Leave him here and run!

The storm had already died out, as if it were something magical. The sun was peaking out again and Sakura knew the storm was not natural. 

  
Thank you, Mother, Sakura prayed and she looked around for something to help Syaoran. Syaoran had saved her life out there...so she had to owe him something. She'd save his life in return. 

Quickly, she grabbed his pack, and took out a pot and a small knife. She heard dripping at the back of the cave and got up, her muscles aching, and hurried to the back of the cave finding a pool. She dipped the pot into the pool and came back to where Syaoran was gasping for breath and grabbed some cloth from his pack.

She motioned to him that she wanted to help him. Syaoran glanced at her, shock in his eyes.

" You can understand me, can't you?" Syaoran wheezed.

Sakura looked down and nodded.

" And you want to heal me?"

Again she nodded.

" Alright. Tell me what I have to do."

Sakura looked up , startled and let out a hint of a smile. Syaoran gazed at her for a few second then turned away. Sakura used her hands and pointed to the cut.

__

Knife. In leg. Must take out.

Syaoran nodded. " Do what you have to do."

Sakura took a deep breath and washed the cut as cleanly as she could. Then she used the knife to dislodge the wedge of metal. She heard Syaoran gasp in pain and she wondered at the fact that Syaoran didn't scream at all. Must have a lot of determination, Sakura thought grimly.

Finally, when her hands were dripping with blood, she got the metal out. Then she cleaned the cut again and grabbed the spool of normal thread from her own pack. Carefully, she stitched the cut back together, taking the time to make each stitch perfect. Finally she bit off the thread and wrapped his leg in the cloth. 

She inspected her handiwork with a curve on her lips, happy that she was able to save his life. She turned back to Syaoran's face and her eyes widened at the fact that he was staring at her curiously.

" What is your name?" he asked, his voice rough.

Sakura remained blank and she turned away, back to her pack, grabbing the blood filled pot so that she could wash it. A hand touched her arm and she nearly jumped at the electricity and warmth of the touch. 

She whipped around and met those icy amber eyes. She gulped as he brought her closer, his head tilted in confusion.

" Fine. Don't tell me. But you have to tell me this. Peasant girls don't act the way you do, nor do they know such a craft as healing. You hold your head up with pride yet you don't speak a word. Who are you really?" 

Sakura gaped at him. Oh no..

********

Two weeks had passed since Sakura's encounter with her mother. She had traveled deep into the woods, and hid out in a cave she had found. All her mind was on was saving her brothers. The cave she had selected was conveniently near a field of starwort. The first time she touched the plant, she screamed in pain. It was white hot pain spread through her body and if felt like she had touched fire. Her fingers burned as the needles dug in her flesh and her hand became more swollen. 

But she doggedly cut the plant, biting through her lip. It grew into a ritual, every day, she'd brace herself and cut the plant and start the meticulous task of making patches for the shirt. By the end of the two weeks she had finished two patches and almost done her third. She'd have to finish soon and was trying to hurry. 

There was no time for her to care for her hands and take out the needles, so she left her hands swollen and large. She tried not glancing at her hands, for every time she did, she winced at the ugliness of it. Her hand was swollen and puffy and purple. But all she thought about was her father, her brothers...

After a month, she had finished one shirt and had halfway done another. Touya. She had finished Touya's shirt and was almost done Kosumo's shirt. 

For food, she had gathered nuts and fruits, for the land was rich in human food. She didn't touch the animals, for ever since her brothers turned into animals, she didn't dare eat an animal, much less a swan. It got quite lonely out here by herself and she had taken a habit of mind-talking with the animals she met.

One night, she decided to take a rest. Climbing her way down to the lake, she rested her back against the sandy shore and watched the sun go down, as a velvet cape enveloped the earth. 

Suddenly, a sound wrenched her out of her dreams. She turned her head. A flock of swans were flying above the lake, and Sakura's eyes widened.

__

One, Two, Three, Sakura counted the white swans, _Four_, _Five Six..._

She leapt up. It must be her brothers! She ran to the shore and her eyes widened even more as the swans grew and grew, turning into people. 

She wanted to make some sound, some sort of sound to signal them that she was there, watching them. They turned into six grown men, their hair uncut and their clothes short and dirty. They looked lost and confused and Yamazaki soon saw her.

" Sakura!"

Sakura grinned. She waited as all of them turned around and recognition appeared in their eyes. They splashed through the water to the shore where she waited and they each hugged her tightly.

Sakura smiled at all of them and raised her hand, motioning that they follow her. She led them to her cave and lit a fire quickly, settling down as they sat around the fire, the lost look still apparent in their faces but slow remembrance sinking in.

" We were turned into swans..." Kosumo trailed off.  
Eiden growled. " It was because of that bitch, Oribia...I swear, when we get back, I will punch the living daylights out of her-"

Touya interrupted, " What about father? And how long are we to be humans?"

They turned to Sakura, who shrugged. 

Hiro stared at her curiously. " Why aren't you talking, Sakura?"

Sakura stared at him, wincing. Oh no, now they're going to find out.

Sakura motioned to her throat then shook her head_. I cannot talk._

Yukito looked confused. " Why not?"

Sakura shrugged once again, looking uncomfortable.

Touya pressed, " Well, how long do we have in our human form?"

Sakura looked grave and Yukito sighed. " From the look on Sakura's face, not long."  
Eiden leaned back. " I'm still wondering why Sakura can't talk. What happened, Sakura?"

Sakura looked uncomfortable. _I can' t tell you..._

Hiiro's eyes narrowed. " It must have something to do with Oribia...Tell, me Sakura. Did Oribia do something to you?"

Sakura looked up quickly and looked away. Yamazaki gasped. " Oribia laid a curse on her too! That must be it! Unless...Sakura is choosing to be silent...but why?"

a/n: HELLO, all of you! Sorry for the late updating, I PROMISE I'll be faster next time! lol! Thank you so much for your reviews, you have no IDEA how much your reviews mean to me! Well, maybe if some of you are writers too, you know how much reviews are appreciated!

So review and tell me what you think of my story and where I'm going with it! ok? I'm open to suggestions and if you have a REALLY good idea about what the future of this story should be, tell me!

Luvyalotz,

*starjade*


	6. A Boat

__

Chapter Six

Misty Dreams

****

Card Captor Sakura

__

*starjade*

** **

A Boat

__

Past...

Sakura gasped at Yamazaki's question. He was quite smart, she knew, but how close could he come to the truth?

Sakura tried to clear her face of all answers but Yamazaki's eyes were still suspicious.

" Sakura can't answer you, Yamazaki...We'll have to figure this out ourselves," Eiden said, his eyes scrunched in concentration.

Hiro nodded. " This all has something to do with Oribia...she laid a curse on us to become swans and we probably turned into humans once every..." He looked at Sakura and Sakura put up two fingers.

" Every two months?" Sakura nodded and a round of groans echoed from all her brothers.

" Every two months and all we have is a night to help our sister?" Touya growled. " That Oribia...when I get my hands on her, I swear-"

Suddenly Yukito gasped. " Look here!"

Everyone turned to Yukito who was holding Sakura's pack. Sakura's jaw dropped and she winced as they all stared at the patches and shirts that Sakura was making.

" This....this is starwort!" Eiden gasped.

Yamazaki stared at the shirts and then grabbed Sakura's hands. Flipping them over, he gasped. " Look at Sakura's hands."

They all gawked at the horrid state of her hands and Hiro cried out, " Why are you doing this to yourself, Sakura?"

Sakura didn't say a word and Touya clenched his teeth. " Oribia is probably making her do it."

Kosumo's eyes narrowed. " But why would Oribia make Sakura weave starwort into shirts? It's clear Sakura is making shirts out of starwort...but why?"

They all grew silent and then Yamazaki said slowly, " Sakura is making shirts...six shirts...six shirts made out of starwort."

Touya's eyebrows rose. " So Sakura's making these shirts for us."

Kosumo gaped. " I would never wear such a shirt! That's absolutely ridiculous?"

Yamazaki responded, " But would you wear it...if it had the power to undo the curse?"

All of them grew silent once more, this time it was a solemn silence as all of them let the revelation sink in. Sakura shook her head in wonderment. It was surprising how fast her brothers had figured out what she was doing. All together, they were filled to the top with intelligence. No one could stop them.

Kosumo mused, " So our sister has to stay silent until she finishes all the shirts."

Eiden said grimly, " That is too much to ask of our sister. She sits here alone in the middle of the forest, weaving and sewing starwort, ruining her hands and she has to remain silent the whole time? This cannot be."

Touya growled, " She can't stay here, that's for sure."

Yamazaki replied, " More so, she can't suffer anymore. She's going through all this pain for us...we cannot let this happen."

Hiro nodded and all of them exchanged looks then turned to Sakura. Hiro said gently, " Sakura, we don't want you to do this anymore. Just go to a house in a village right now, we'll make sure they take you in and live your life to the fullest. Don't wait around in silence just for us."

Sakura's eyes grew wide and she leapt to her feet. Motioning with her hand she grabbed the pack of starwort patches and shook her head furiously.

__

I want to do this. 

  
Touya looked at the rest of his brothers and they all exchanged worried looks.

" Are you absolutely sure?" Yukito asked, his eyes full of concern.

Sakura nodded her head and Touya sighed.

" Great. Just great. When we get back to human forms, Oribia is mine..." Touya growled.

Yamazaki was still frowning. " I'm not so sure you should be doing this, Sakura. Its not right, you won't be able to protect yourself..."

Eiden nodded. " Especially out here. Anything can come get you, and we're not going to be there to protect you. God, what are we going to do?"

Kosumo shook his head slowly. " She's going to have to get to a settlement, a human settlement that's safe and secure that will protect her while she completes the task."

Touya growled, " Why the hell is this all so hard? That bitch Oribia has ruined our lives and Father's!! Father might be dead now for all we know!!!"

They all sucked in their breath as that thought settled over them like a dark black cloud. But Yukito was shaking his head and they all turned to him.

" What is it, Yukito?" Hiro asked.

Yukito looked at all their faces in the firelight and shook his head once more. " Our father isn't dead. He's alive and healthy."

They all were silenced at his words but Touya scrunched up his brow and snapped, " How the hell do you know that, Yukito?"

Yukito shrugged, uncomfortably. " I flew over the house one time and I saw...Oribia is still there and is looking for Sakura. Sakura's protected by the magic in this forest, so Oribia has no luck in finding her."

Yamazaki's jaw dropped. " But....but none of us are aware of anything when we are in our swan bodies! How can you...How are you able to see and understand the human world???"

Yukito shrugged again. " I have no idea. Am I the only one who can do that?"

All of them looked at each other and all of Sakura's brothers nodded. Sakura felt her heart tighten with sorrow for her brothers. How much pain they must be going through to leave the human world and not even be aware of anything at all! That leaves them so vulnerable..

" What about father, then? What news have you learned?" Eiden asked, eagerly.

Yukito let out his breath as if he didn't want them to ask this question. " Not good news....Oribia has laid some sort of a spell on him. He's like a walking puppet , and Oribia...Oribia is pregnant."

They all grew into shocked silence until Touya yelled, " WHAT?"

Yukito nodded. " We're soon to have another brother or sister. Oribia is pregnant...and since we have all gone missing, this child is the heir to the Kinomoto Kingdom."

*********

__

Present...

Sakura stared at Syaoran, her eyes wide with fright as he held her hand, feeling the sores and the swelling on them. She pulled her hand away from him and clutched it to her heart.

" Who are you? And....And what happened to your hands?" Syaoran asked , his cold amber eyes questioning.

Sakura suddenly felt a wave of...an indescribable emotion flood through her body and she huddled into a corner away from him and burst into tears.

" Why are you crying??" Syaoran asked, clueless. She just kept crying, tears coming like rivers from her eyes. 

" Dammit.." Syaoran swore and looked around himself helplessly. He couldn't move his leg, but he had to do something for the weeping girl. He took the blanket that Sakura had put over him and wrapped it around Sakura. Sakura cringed away from his touch and cried even harder.

" Oh god..." Syaoran muttered under his breath and with a heave, pulled himself over to the other side of the cave and fell asleep to Sakura's tears.

Sakura soon fell asleep as well, tired and sad. Her whole body felt like a leaden weight and it was bliss to close her eyes. The cave was cold and forbidding, but she tried to make herself comfortable against the wet, icy gray rocks. Sighing, she fell asleep.

After what seemed like two minutes, a hand shook her away. Sakura opened her mouth in shock at the sight of her mother.

__

Mother? 

Her mother smiled at Sakura. " Hello, Sakura."

Sakura reached out to her mother as renewed tears fell down her cheeks. _Oh Mother, I don't know if I can complete this task! I cannot do this anymore!_

Her mother touched her hair. " Yes you can, dear. Just believe in yourself. How many shirts have you completed so far?"

Sakura looked down, ashamed. _Only one and a half..._

Her mother's eyes grew worried. " Hurry, daughter. You don't have as much time as you think you do. You have evil enemies after your blood and you will meet more on your journey. Hurry!"

Sakura nodded, but then froze as she heard Syaoran's voice.

" What the hell? Leave her alone!!"

Sakura opened her mouth to protest, but knew she couldn't utter a word as Syaoran staggered to his feet and stumbled over to Sakura, holding an arm across her chest protectively.

" Don't you dare touch her!" He said through clenched teeth, glaring at Sakura's mother.

Sakura's mother smiled gently and said, " You chose well, daughter. You chose well."

Sakura grew confused. _What do you mean, I chose well? What are you talking about? What have I chose?_

Nadeshiko let out a tinkling laugh. " So many questions, daughter. He looks quite strong and I'm sure he'll protect you."

Syaoran however was still wary of Sakura's mother. " If your trying some magic thing on us and trying to get this girl, you can think again! You'll have to go through me first!"

Nadeshiko smiled. " Your leg is wounded, man."

Syaoran flushed. " I can still fight! I'll fight you to the death!"

Sakura's eyes widened. Mother, don't do anything! He's just foolish, he doesn't mean to be so rude. He's just a bit scared, that's all!

Her mother smiled at her. " I understand daughter. I won't do anything."

Syaoran's eyes were wide. " You....You understand her?" He asked Nadeshiko.

Nadeshiko nodded and Syaoran sputtered, " But...But she's mute! She can't speak!!"

Nadeshiko sighed. " If I can hear her, so can you. You just haven't learned how to listen."

Syaoran's jaw dropped and opened his mouth to retort, but Nadeshiko was despairing. " Stay true, my daughter. Stay true."

With that, she disappeared and Syaoran turned to Sakura. " Who...Who was that??" His amber eyes were wide with fear and anger.

Sakura shook her head and was about to respond, when Syaoran stumbled back and fell to the ground. Sakura's eyes widened and she knelt quickly to Syaoran's side. He exerted too much pressure on himself, Sakura thought. He shouldn't have done so!

But sleep had already taken Syaoran and Sakura could feel her own eyes drifting shut. She'd have to make up some excuse in the morning...

Morning came a bit too fast for Sakura. She woke up to a stumbling of rocks outside the cave door. Her heart leapt into her throat. Kinomoto guards! They've come back! 

She shot a look at Syaoran , who's forehead was sheeted with sweat and her heart pounded against her chest. Syaoran was well enough to fight! That meant...she had to. Quickly, she grabbed the knife she had used to heal Syaoran and leapt out of the cave door with a ferocious glare and the knife ready in her hand to stab the person who came near her.

The two people froze at the sight of her and Sakura's ferocious glare melted away. It was Yamaki and Eriol! Eriol stared at her and then began to laugh. Yamaki started to laugh too and Sakura felt a blush rise to her cheeks as Syaoran woke up inside the cave and staggered outside as well.

" Eriol? Yamaki? Your here already?" Syaoran said, his voice breathless.

Eriol looked Syaoran over. " Just in time too."

Syaoran sighed. " Thank god. I was wondering how the girl and I would make it down the hill...but we would have managed...right?" 

  
Syaoran darted a look at Sakura and Sakura shrugged, uncomfortably, a blush still present on her cheeks.

Yamaki grinned at her and said in a sly voice, " This girl is quite the wildcat! She came leaping out of the door with that knife when she heard us coming! She mustn't be a Kinomoto, then!"

Sakura flushed angrily but Syaoran was watching her. " She can understand us, Yamaki."

Yamaki's jaw dropped. " What??"

Eriol looked at Sakura in shock. " She understands us? Then why....why doesn't she talk to us? It would be quite easier..."

Syaoran shrugged, his eyes taking on a wary look. " I have no idea. But we'd better get back to the Li Kingdom as soon as we can."

Yamaki was watching Sakura with careful eyes. " So you understand every single word we've said so far...I wonder what kind of secrets we revealed..."

Syaoran groaned. " Just let that go, Yamaki. What have we got, Eriol?"

Eriol nodded, still looking worried. " Well, we're pretty close to the Li Kingdom. We just have to cross the lake and we're on Li lands. I've already got us a boat."

Syaoran slapped Eriol's back. " Good work."

Yamaki looked at Sakura, his eyes calculating. " Are you absolutely sure that she's coming with us? No offense or anything, but Li people hate Kinomotos! Once she comes over to our land, there's no telling what might happen!"

Syaoran's eyes took on an icy look. " She's coming. Now lets get down to that boat."

Eriol and Yamaki exchanged looks and started to help Syaoran get down the hill, as Syaoran related to them what had happened so far. Sakura felt surprising glances fall on her many times, but she ignored it. Right now, fear was the main emotion in her heart. 

The Li Kingdom? They....they would kill her! And butcher her! If the rumors were true...

But already, these three men had defied all the rumors. They weren't half animal , half human and they weren't killing machines. They were decent men.

But that didn't lessen the fear in her heart as they arrived to the boat. She looked across the lake and couldn't see the Li lands. What was going to happen to her?

***********

__

Past

Sakura breathed in hard as she walked over the hill with her brothers. She could see forest and land ahead of her and she winced at the thought of walking through all of them.

" If you walk straight north, you'll reach a pleasant village I've been to a couple of times. They'll help you. We'll come back again, whenever we can!" Touya said, his face filled with worry, concern and anger.

Yukito exhaled loudly. " I can't believe this. We can't even help our sister. She's so young and she's going through this.."

Eiden patted his brother's shoulder. " Don't worry. Sakura's strong, she'll make it."

Sakura tried to look convincing and self-assured. Yamazaki was watching her and his face was pained. " Dawn is almost here." He said softly.

The brothers looked up at the sky and Sakura felt the cold wind bite at her skin. She wished...she wished they could be there for her, wished they would walk with her, wished they would come with her, wherever she must go. 

The last minutes were few and she hugged all of her brothers tightly. She looked at them with watery eyes and motioned, Please come back soon.

Kosumo nodded. " We'll be back, Sakura. We promise. Now take care of yourself, keep to the shade, don't talk to any strangers until you get to the village and use all the fighting skills we trained you to use if you get in trouble."

Sakura smiled and nodded as the sun came up over the hill and they walked away , back to the lake. Sakura felt her heart tighten and squeeze painfully as she watched all six forms disappear. 

Touya, Yukito, Kosumo, Hiro, Eiden, Yamazaki...she chanted to herself. Those names would keep her through, those names would help her remember, help her through everything that lay ahead of her. Setting the light pack firmly on her shoulder she walked ahead, always ahead, towards her future and towards the solution to saving her brothers.

Six brothers, six shirts, six swans. Sakura would save them all. She would save her father and she would save her family.

a/n: Hello everyone! Thank you sooo much for the reviews! I love them all, and I love all your opinions! Please review and tell me what you think is going to happen, suggestions or opinions. I love reviews and knowing that people appreciate my story!

All the Past parts are done, I think. So it won't be too confusing now, that the past, present stuff are done. It'll pretty much be present, with Syaoran...hehe, yes, that is something to look forward to! lol!

See ya latez,

*starjade*


	7. A Castle

**__**

Seven

Misty Dreams

Card Captor Sakura

__

*starjade*

A Castle

Sakura was mightily glad that she was on land once more. The whole boat ride was disastrous. She was seasick the whole way, even though Yamaki, Eriol and Syaoran were pretty kind about it all. They even held her hair back as she leaned over the boat side to...empty her guts. 

Now, her heart seemed as if it wouldn't stop pounding against her chest. Her blood ran cold in her veins and more often than not, she had to stop and catch her breath, trying to calm her nerves. 

Syaoran kept shooting her cold glances throughout the whole time they were on land. Maybe it was because she kept on having to as sit down and concentrate on breathing as they talked with the man they had met at the docks. The man kept looking at her and pure disgust was apparent in his eyes.

Sakura swallowed hard. Li Lands...the words echoed in her mind and she felt dizzy. She was sitting on a normal wooden crate, something they would have in Kinomoto lands as well. Carefully, Sakura picked up a pile of sand and it ran through her fingers.

Same sand, she thought critically and then stopped and looked at herself. What was she doing?? She was believing all those stories! All her life, she had grown up with hatred against the Lis. She would've killed herself before going with Syaoran had it not been for Yamazaki.

Yamazaki had always felt compassion for the Li people, always thought there was another way of solving the deep and complex problems between both countries...instead of war. If it wasn't for Yamazaki and the stories he told her about peace between the nations, she would've...

Well, it didn't matter what she would've done, now. She was on Li lands and was right now being glared at more than she liked. 

She didn't look different from them, she didn't think....maybe it was the hair....no, the green eyes. Sakura scanned the area. No one had green eyes. Would they...would they be able to tell...she was a Kinomoto?

" Get up."

The blunt order shook Sakura out of her thoughts and she craned her neck to look up into Syaoran's icy ones.

Sakura got up, dusting her clothes off, to no avail. Her clothes were rags and she knew it. Shifting uncomfortably under his gaze, she motioned with her hands, _Where are we going?_

Syaoran watched her for a few more seconds before pointing to Yamaki and Eriol who were loading there gear off the boat. " We're going to be staying at a farmer's house nearby, before we make to the kingdom-"

Sakura froze and her eyes widened. Syaoran read the question in her eye and he was the one who looked uncomfortable now.

" Well....I....I live at the castle....so..."

Sakura slowly felt fear trickle back down her veins. _Castle?? No, they will hate me, kill me! Can't go!!_

Syaoran shrugged and said in a gruff voice, " As long as I'm here, they won't hurt you. Now get a move on."

Sakura tried to protest with him, but he ignored her. He knew better than to touch her. Every time he did, she flinched, and he kept his hands off her. 

They walked off the shore and across a bridge. Sakura studied Eriol and Yamaki carefully. The mystery of Syaoran, she couldn't solve. But Eriol and Yamaki were easier. Eriol was a pretty level headed guy, sensible and smart. He was very skilful with a staff and Sakura was painfully reminded of Eiden back home, who was quite able with a staff.

Yamaki seemed to be quite the joker with light spirits. He was a loyal guy and he knew that Kinomoto's were the enemy and that was probably why he still didn't accept Syaoran's decision to bring Sakura over.

If only they knew the reason, Sakura thought sadly.

It was a pretty short walk. They only had to walk down a dusty pathway and the only incident that happened was when a person in the passing carriage had spit at her. Syaoran got a nasty look on his face and made to go after the carriage but Yamaki stopped him. Sakura was shocked at the behaviour, but knew she had expected no less.

Finally, they stopped at a warm looking cottage, smoke piping from a chimney and a man working in the fields. He grinned at them and waved, a hoe on his shoulder as he ran to them. As he got closer, he noticed Sakura and his steps slowed, and his forehead crinkled in confusion.

Great, Sakura thought. Now he'd probably try to kill me and then Syaoran would think it was too much effort to take care of me and leave me at the shore for all the Li people to skin me alive.

Syaoran greeted the farmer with a solemn face and whispered something quickly in his ear. The farmer's eyes rose and he muttered, " Why?" and then Syaoran whispered some more.

That girl is a Kinomoto, you can kill her after we leave, Sakura imagined their conversation. Her shoulders drooped, but she raised them in defiance. She would go down fighting!

The farmer and his wife had greeted them all joyously and only Sakura was left. She felt like a shadow, an evil one intruding in their happiness. Syaoran motioned her foreword and she took small steps, clenching her hands into fists so that if one move was made..

" Well, hello there!" The farmer said, smiling. He reached out to shake her hand and Sakura stared at him incredulously. She didn't take his hand however and the farmer's smile faltered.

" Do you have a name?" The farmer's wife asked, her belly round with a child.

Sakura looked at Syaoran, and Syaoran coughed. " No, no she can't speak. I don't even know her name."

The wife's eyebrows rose. " Do you know anything about her, besides that she's a Kinomoto?"

Syaoran flushed slightly and shook his head. The wife inhaled sharply. " Well, this girl obviously needs a name and a good shower! A few meals couldn't hurt, look at her, such a scrawny thing!! You don't mind, do you?" 

She reached out and took Sakura by the shoulders as Syaoran shook his head in reply. The woman led Sakura into the cottage and began to warm up a bath. 

" Now get off those scraps and get into the water!" The woman said. Sakura felt a sort of feeling of trust and she took off her clothing and slipped into the warm bath. As soon as the water touched her skin, Sakura felt more grateful then she did in her whole life. The woman washed her hair and rubbed her skin hard, taking off all the dirt and grime that had layered her skin. She combed her hair carefully and gave her a rough, plain woollen dress.

" It's all we have for now," The woman said apologetically. Sakura felt a huge wave of warmth for her and wondered what she felt. The woman...the woman was like the mother she had grown up without.

The woman led her into the kitchen where Syaoran, Yamaki and Eriol were munching a huge meal. 

From the silence in the room, Sakura knew that her appearance was quite shocking. All they knew was a skinny, dirty girl who had washed up into their boat. They were quite stunned and Sakura settled into the chair that the women pulled out for her. 

It was probably the first time they saw the colour of her hair. Her hair was quite short, shoulder length, bangs framing her face and it was an amber colour. Through their whole journey, it was a mucky brown.

As soon as they were done the meal, the women led them all into the sitting area where the women promptly said, " She needs a name."

Eriol shrugged. " Girl seems fine enough."

The farmer looked appalled. " You can't go around the castle, calling her Girl! She needs a name , a proper one."

Yamaki piped up, " Call her something like....like...damn, I'm not very good with names."

Eriol shrugged as well, and the woman huffed. " Syaoran, you got a name for her?"  
Syaoran looked startled. " Uh....I dunno, how about....Keili."

Eriol and Yamaki exchanged glances as the farmer's wife exclaimed over the excellent name. Syaoran looked rather uncomfortable as the Farmer seemed to look over Sakura then stared at Syaoran in a sort of startled surprise.

Sakura was now known as Keili. Great. Sakura looked over at Syaoran, who looked a bit drawn.

" Look, Joe, we'd better get going to the castle-"

The farmer, Joe as he was called, protested, " But you haven't even stayed long enough-"

Syaoran cut in, " We have to go. Thank you so much for your hospitality, but we'd better leave. Girl-I mean, Keili, let's go."

Sakura felt a bit weird, as Syaoran called her Keili. So different from her real name. It was like now she had two different personalities. Sakura Kinomoto, princess of the Kinomoto kingdom, cursed forever. Or Keili, a foreigner washed up onto a knight's (that's what she guessed Syaoran was) boat and dragged all the way across the waters to the Li Lands.

She was really going to be welcomed at the castle. Welcomed, indeed.

*********

" He's here!!" 

The scream seemed to echo around the whole place as Sakura rode in, clutching Syaoran rather embarrassedly as they rode into the great pearly gates. As crowds of people gathered like a flock of birds, Sakura clung to Syaoran in fear, closing her eyes tightly, trying to diminish the thoughts that raced through her mind.

Would they grab her and tear into shreds?

Would they throw stones at her and jeer at her as she died?

Syaoran touched Sakura's shoulder, his eyes still that icy amber shade. Sakura opened her eyes slightly and she saw that everyone was watching them. She gulped and looked down at Syaoran again. Suddenly, those amber eyes looked warm and inviting, compared to the expressions of the people around them.

Syaoran had gotten off the horse and held a hand out to Sakura to take. She hesitantly took it, and slid off the horse. A horse caretaker came and took the horses away and Sakura could hardly believe the magnificence of the palace.

It was larger than the palace at the Kinomoto kingdom, that was for sure. It was huge, crystallized with shimmering people all in silk and satin, fluttering ladies and handsome, raucous men. She felt quite aware of her appearance. Dishevelled short auburn hair, foreign green eyes, dirty, plain woollen gown, and no shoes. No shoes!! 

She looked down at her grimy feet in shame as the people around them whispered among their selves, wondering who this foreign girl was. She could feel the suspicion of Kinomoto blood inside of her rise and she felt a red flush rise and cover her face.

" Welcome home, son!" A cry suddenly burst through the murmuring crowds. Everyone went down on their knees. Startled, Sakura stared at the direction of where the voice was coming from and gasped.

A woman with a crown was walking towards them. A crown...that was all she focused on and she could feel her heart pounding against hr chest. She was tall and regal, black hair swooped into a bun, a cape flowing elegantly behind her. She went up to Syaoran and curtsied before him. He bowed back.

Sakura looked in-between them in horror, wondering what was going on.

" Welcome home, Prince Xiao-Lang. Welcome back," The queen said, tears in her eyes.

That was when Sakura promptly fainted.

*************

" Is she okay?"

Sakura groaned and turned her head to the side, trying to block out the noise.

" Who cares? She's a dirty Kinomoto."

" Don't let Xiao-Lang hear you say that."

" She fainted because of the shock."

" The shock of what? She didn't know that Xiao-Lang was a prince?"

" Nope."

" Well, she is a Kinomoto. I guess that pretty much frightened her out of her wits. She should be grateful that she got the protection of the Prince! She must've put some spell over him."

Sakura opened her eyes with a groan. Meeting her eyes was four girls, their eyes staring at her with disgust that Sakura had not grown used to seeing yet. She flinched and got up carefully. None of them made a move to help her.

" Who are you?" One of them sneered.

Sakura trembled but didn't say a word. She couldn't, but they didn't know that.

" What the hell is wrong with her?" One of them asked, scorn clear in her face.

The other shrugged. " Maybe she's just dumb."

The other whispered, " Maybe she's laying a spell on us!! Didn't you hear the rumours? She's a sorcerer!"

The other groaned. " She just can't understand us. She's a Kinomoto."

All of them glared at the word, Kinomoto. They had so much hatred against Kinomotos, Sakura thought. And here she was the Princess of the Kinomoto Kingdom, smack in the castle of the Li Kingdom. Who would believe that?

Suddenly, the door swung open and Syaoran barged in, his face angry. " What the hell are you all doing, crowding her? Get away from her!"

The girls got up and stared at Syaoran, as he walked up to Sakura, his eyes flashing. He lifted a hand and Sakura flinched. He was the Prince. She couldn't believe it. Now he'll drag me to the dungeons and place me under ransom cause he found out I was the princess-

But he didn't. All he did was raise a hand and placed it gently against her forehead. Sakura jumped a bit at his touch, her heartbeat stopping completely. He quickly took it back and said in a gruff voice, " My mother wants to see you."

Sakura's eyes widened and she motioned, _Why? Where am I? Who are they?_

Syaoran answered, " They're my sisters. My mother is the Queen, and your going to have to see her if you want to or not. Your in a room in the castle."

The girls, or his sisters all gasped. They stared between them and whispered to each other, now fully convinced that Sakura was some sort of a witch. How else could Syaoran understand her with just twists of the hand?

Sakura never felt so vulnerable in her life. Syaoran, or Prince Syaoran as she should call him, helped her get up and they went down the corridors. It was a rich place and Sakura's jaw dropped at the magnificence of it. Portraits framed in gold, statues of diamond and vases of silver. It was too grand to even imagine.

Finally, they reached a huge, circular room. The queen stood in the middle, and a look on her face told Sakura right away that she wasn't welcome in the castle. Sakura walked carefully, wishing she had shoes as she came to the centre of the room.

" Your...Keili, are you not?" The woman asked, straightforward.

Sakura had no choice but to nod.

" That name has been given to you. What is your real name?" The queen asked again.

Sakura pointed to her mouth and then waved to say that she could not speak.

The queen's eyes narrowed. " Do you have some malady of some sort? Why can't you speak? My son says you understand our language fully enough."

Syaoran broke in, " She can't speak, Mother. That's it."

The queen glared at her. " You are fully aware that you are the enemy and we can only give you limited protection. If you proceed off the boundaries we are not accountable for what might come upon you. But in the castle, you will be fully protected. You will have the room near to the servants quarters. You are dismissed."

The queen turned around with a swish and walked away and once she left the room, Sakura's shoulders drooped. He heart was pounding the whole time, in fear that they would kill her or do something worse. 

Syaoran put a hand on her shoulder and Sakura winced at the touch. He quickly took it away and said coldly, " I'll get someone to lead you to your room."

Sakura looked at him and then nodded. There was no choice. A maid came and carrying towels and an extra gowns. They were plain and looked like a servant's clothing but Sakura was glad for them. 

  
As she was about to leave, Syaoran suddenly said, " If you need anything, just tell me. And if someone says of does something...offensive to you, tell me immediately. Okay?"

Sakura looked up at him, in surprise then looked away and nodded. Syaoran coughed and said softly, " I apologize for my mother's behaviour. My father was killed in the battle between the Kinomotos and Lis. She hates Kinomotos and so does the rest of my family."

Sakura shivered but stared at him and nodded slightly, to show she understood. He reddened a bit then turned away and Sakura walked towards her new room, in silence. 

When she got there, the room was small and tiny, with only a bed and a dresser for furniture. A door was at the other end, and a twisted, overgrown garden was at the back. Sakura brightened up at the thought of a garden. She would make it look beautiful! 

Taking out the small pack from where they had put it, the only luggage she had, Sakura took out the starwort shirts and needle and thread. She began her elaborate sewing, as the thorns embedded themselves in her skin, making her bite her lip in pain. She hoped there was starwort in the Li Kingdom. If there wasn't....she would leave.

She didn't know why she was here, in such a dangerous place. But she knew that her step mother would never look for her here. Never.

Smiling, she went about her way starting the third shirt. Three and a half more to go, before her brothers were finally released from the curse.

a/n: Hey!!! This is sort of a boring chapter, but *shrugs* It's getting into the good stuff!! Muah ah ah...Tell me what you think of the story and what you think is going to happen, alright? I love getting suggestions and comments or criticism on my story, alright? SO REVIEW! PLEASE! I need ya to!

See ya latez,

*starjade*


	8. A Foe

**__**

Misty Dreams

****

Card Captor Sakura

Chapter Eight

__

*starjade*

A Foe

Sakura went down the corridor, carefully. She was dressed in one of those plain, cotton dresses that they had given her and in her hands was the rest of her sewing. She had to finish the third shirt by the end of the week. She made this goal for herself and she was determined to finish it.  
Yet all her starwort supplies were running out. She needed more...and she had to find out where to get it.

The maid had informed her that all the ladies of the castle sew and weaved in the same room and she was requested to come as well. She could already hear the ladies giggling and whispering to each other and she winced at the thought of the entrance she was going to make.

Oh well. Here goes nothing.

She stepped into the room, and was instantly greeted with the gasps that she was expecting. She still wasn't used to the whispering words, the disgusted eyes on her, the way they looked her over, messy auburn hair, smudged cheeks, plain thin gown, and bare feet. Their eyes lingered on her hands, swollen and puffy, purple and bruised.

She kept her eyes down and walked quickly to an empty spot near the window. Everyone near her got up and moved away, whispering words like, " Witch," or " Dirty Kinomoto." 

She opened up her last stalk of starwort and began to spin it, turning it into thread as she stared out the window. Was there any starwort in the Li Lands?? She'd have to ask somebody. Syaoran sure as hell wouldn't let her out of the castle so he would never answer her questions. 

" Hello."

The voice shocked her and she jumped. Looking at the direction of the voice, she smiled. It was an older girl, with dark hair and amethyst eyes. She was smiling at her kindly, oblivious to the glares and shocked glances of all the other ladies in the house.

Sakura gave her a gentle wave and the girl settled across from her. She was only a year or so older than her and already her stomach was plump with a baby. She was pregnant. The girl picked up her sewing and Sakura gasped at the beauty of it. She was sewing little dragonflies in a baby's shirt, sown with such love.

The girl grinned at her and said, " My name is Tomoyo. I heard yours was Keili, right?"  
Sakura nodded and then pointed at Tomoyo's stomach and then at the shirt. Tomoyo giggled. " Yes, I'm making this for my baby. I think you've already met my husband. Hiirigizawa, Eriol. He travelled with you, right?"

Sakura nodded, smiling. Eriol was a good husband for Tomoyo and Tomoyo was clearly in love with him. Tomoyo chatted with her the whole time, talking about a range of things, what they did in the castle, what sort of nasty, narrow minded ladies there were and other , kindly but brainwashed ladies there were.

She told her that even though it seemed like the whole castle was against her, not everyone was. Sakura asked about the queen and Tomoyo looked uncomfortable.

" Her husband died a long time ago, but the wound is still fresh. Syaoran got over it but he hated Kinomotos too. Until he saw a little beggar boy, stowed away on a ship get hanged. The beggar boy had traveled here with cargo from Kinomoto lands and everyone was so angry at the fact that a Kinomoto had landed here that they hanged him only two days later."

Sakura gasped and Tomoyo nodded sadly. " It was mostly their pride that hurt. A Kinomoto had crept past their defences, and it was a little boy, at that! What would happen if more experienced men had been able to creep past our defences?"

Sakura nodded but something was still confusing her. She started to motion about siblings, Syaoran's siblings, or more specifically, Syaoran's cousins. Tomoyo saddened.

" Your talking about Meiling aren't you?" Tomoyo asked. " That was a sad story. Meiling and Syaoran had been arranged to marry after Syaoran refused so many potential wives. Yet both of them had platonic feelings for each other, never more than was necessary. It was always Meiling's little sister that had feelings for Syaoran. Meiling, she wanted to be in the army. Fight Kinomotos. Be in the war."

Sakura nodded, understanding. Tomoyo continued, " But girls weren't allowed. So she pretended to be a boy, got into the army and was never seen again. Syaoran has been out looking for her...I don't know how many times. People think that the Kinomoto's killed her. The hatred for Kinomotos have grown so much..." Tomoyo looked at her worriedly. " Tell me, if anything happens to you, come straight to me or Syaoran. Okay?"

That was exactly what Syaoran had said. Why were they so scared that something would happen to her?? But Sakura knew. She knew that the minute she stepped on enemy lands, people would go to great lengths to show her that she was not welcome.

Tomoyo looked around herself as the lunch bell rang. " Come on, let's go to lunch. You know why everyone gathers to sew here? It's a common ritual when a wedding is about to happen."

Sakura's eyebrows furrowed and she shrugged hers shoulders_. Whose wedding?_

Tomoyo smiled. " Why, Prince Syaoran and Princess Rita. Rita is Meiling's younger sister. They got arranged after Meiling disappeared. A future King needs a wife."

***********

Sakura went outside in her garden, breathing the fresh air gratefully. It was night time and the night felt different in Li lands. It wasn't silent. You could still see the stars, twinkling like fireflies on the night sky, but there were so many lights on in the Li Kingdom, so many voices and laughter and movement that it destroyed the serenity of the night.

She sat down in the weed choked garden, enjoying the feel of the grass against her skin, the air whipping through her hair. She had forgotten the deep solitude of the Kinomoto castle. With a pang, she remembered her father, stuck alone and dying with that nasty Oribia.   
Suddenly a movement beside her startled her out of her thoughts. She turned and gasped. It was Syaoran. He was lying on a bench a few feet away from her, staring at the sky as well. A knife lay at his hands and in the other one was a staff.

He was guarding her room.

Sakura got up, anger filling her. Syaoran noticed her quickly and got up, as she stomped over to him.

__

Why you here, she motioned angrily. _I protect myself._

Syaoran coughed. " Look, Keili, I'm sorry, you don't know what kind of danger your in right now-"

__

Then why bring me here? She motioned, already knowing the answer.

Syaoran turned away from her and ran a hand through his hair. " You're my only connection to Meiling. Okay? I didn't tell Mother that you knew and I won't tell her. I won't tell anyone. All I need for you is to tell me where she is and then I'll let you go."

Sakura bristled. _I'm not prisoner. _

Syaoran blinked at her and said solemnly, " Of course you're not."

Sakura sighed. It was no point in talking to him. Besides, there were more dangers out there than there was in the Li Kingdoms. At least she had the protection of Syaoran. She wondered why he protected her. She knew that no one would kill her. Syaoran was the prince and she was his guest. Why did he care how they tormented her?

Maybe it was because of her mother.

Her mother had done something to Syaoran that night. Made him become some sort of guardian for her while she completed her task. When it was over, poof, he'd go back to what he was before. A prince of the Li Kingdom.

Syaoran looked over at her carefully. " Could you just..."

Sakura glanced at him and he said, " Couldn't you at least...tell me whether....whether or not Meiling is still alive? Do you know if she's still alive?"

Sakura felt her heart go out to him and she shook her head slowly. He let out his breath.

" Do you know where she is right now?"

Again, she shook her head sadly.

" You've met her, haven't you?"

Sakura halted, but nodded slowly.

Syaoran held his head in his hands. " I just don't know what to do.."

It was these tiny displays of emotion that gave her glimpses to his inner personality. He was always so strong, knowing and fearless. The Li Kingdom looked like it would never break under his control. Yet such little glimpses...little things...

Slowly she walked over to him, and was about to touch him, but could not go that extra step. He was a Li, after all. The enemy.

The enemy.

She sat beside him, making sure there was space between them and clenched her hands in her lap. Syaoran let out his breath in a huge whoosh and then got up.

" Go inside now and sleep." His cold, demanding voice was back. " You have to meet my Uncle tomorrow."

__

Uncle? Sakura shrugged her shoulders, questioningly. _Why?_

" Because," Syaoran said shortly and walked off, but she knew he wouldn't leave. He thought she was a weak little flimsy thing that couldn't protect herself. Why was he always ordering her around all the time? She could walk off right now and never come back!!   
Once she found out where that starwort was, she'd go after it by herself. With or without his protection.

********

" Duke Jel Tyran has arrived!"

The flurry of movements awoke Sakura the next morning. Since her room was so close to the servants quarters, she could hear the banging of pots, the fear and worry, the dreaded anticipation.

Who was this Jel Tyran and why were they all so...scared of him?

Remembering Syaoran's words, she made the connection. Jel Tyran Li must be his Uncle. The one she had to meet. A bad feeling settled in her stomach, but she ignored it. Instead of going to breakfast and having to meet Syaoran, she stayed in her room and worked on her shirts.

There was a knock at the door and Syaoran walked in. Sakura glared at him, but he just waved and said hurriedly, " Get a nice gown on and get to the front quickly. My uncle has arrived and he...he wants to meet you."

A flash in his eyes, worry it might've been, or anger, she didn't know, but she knew she had to do what he said. She washed herself up and pulled her hair back, dressing in a plain gown quickly. She hurried outside and on the floor was a pair of soft, leather shoes. She grimaced, but knew she couldn't go walking barefoot all the time. She slipped the shoes on and tied them up. Even though she'd rather be barefooted, she guessed this all powerful uncle really judged by appearances. 

By the time she got to the main hall, a big crowd had gathered. They surrounded a small table where the queen was introducing everyone to a tall, muscular man. He was old, but still quite handsome. Dark hair and blood red eyes, a smirk on his face, he stood out from all the others. 

Syaoran stood beside them, stiffly dressed in a red coat and white pants. His eyes were cold and glassy and the duke seemed to be smirking at him. The girl she had met yesterday had found her elbow and was holding her carefully.

" Don't try to get noticed," Tomoyo hissed. " He's looking out for you especially."

Sakura looked at her questioningly and Tomoyo sighed and answered, " Because...your the Kinomoto. He's the leader of the whole army of Li lands. He hates Kinomotos."

Sakura gulped, now knowing why she feared this man. But it was hard trying to blend in. Everyone was dark haired and her auburn hair stood out. Even that wasn't as strange as her eyes. No one in the Li Kingdom had green eyes. It was rare in the Kinomoto Kingdom as well. 

Keeping her eyes to the floor, she winced as she heard the duke say, " Well, where is this Kinomoto wench I've heard so much about?"

The Queen stiffened. " You want to see her?"

The duke smiled. " Why, yes! This is the most interesting thing I have seen in a long time. Where is she?"

The Queen looked around and suddenly, Sakura felt herself being pushed out into the centre of the crowd. She felt all the eyes on her and she flinched, wondering if she was the most stupid person on earth. Here she was, a Kinomoto princess, wanted in her own lands and was now in the enemy's castle, being introduced to the Duke. 

Her brothers would be ashamed of her.

Wincing as the Duke's eyes fell on her, she watched as his eyes widened slightly. She wrung her hands as she felt his eyes peruse her head to feet. A smirk played around on his lips as he murmured, " Well, well, well. I never knew that your one night stands stay so long, my boy! Kinomoto filth too!"

He rose an eyebrow to Syaoran, whose hands were clenched in tight fists, but it seemed as no one noticed except for the Duke and Sakura. Two blotches of colour appeared on her cheeks at the Duke's words, but knew she would be in grave danger if she even tried to protest against this powerful man.

" Fraternising with the enemy, are you, boy?" He sneered, glancing over at Syaoran with a knowing smile. " But I don't blame you. You are a handsome young bachelor and you need some sort of entertainment!! And what entertainment it is..." 

Sakura's cheeks burned and the Queen said coldly, " The girl understands everything you say."

The man's eyebrows shot up into his hairline. " Can she? Then why won't she speak?"

The Queen coughed subtly. " She's got some sort of...disease. She can't speak."

The Duke laughed. "Why, we've got a diseased but educated Kinomoto in our hands! And all this time I thought she was a farmer's daughter and the only mate for miles were sheep and goats. Why, isn't it an age old suspicion that the Kinomotos have a bit of sheep genes in their blood. Run away at the first sense of danger, that's how it is."

The Duke got up and walked over to Sakura. Her body tensed as once again he looked her over, this time walking around her, looking at her from all angles. She felt dirty and it was like he was peeling away her clothes with his eyes. 

" Dirty, but she is a little...interesting under there," He murmured. The blood red eyes seemed to feed on her fear and he seemed to have been born with that smirk on his face. " Quite a beauty for a Kinomoto, this one. She could be a spy, you know, working for the King. She understands us and yet doesn't speak a word. How convenient."

The Queen cut in, " Duke Jel Tyran, we have a few other people we'd like you to meet-"

The Duke held up a hand, his gaze fastened on Sakura's. " A pretty girl. I suspect they put you in the servants quarters, did they? Make a little use out of your scrawny body. Unless my boy is making a bit more...pleasurable use out of your body. Do you not know of Syaoran's night time activities? Your not the only filthy girl in his bed."

Sakura shuddered and the Queen tried to cut in again, but the Duke kept on talking. " I fought long and hard against your kind. You have spilled the blood of our people on your lands. Killing and killing...that's all your dim witted brains can handle."

Anger flooded her body, but it was replaced by fear as he raised a hand and placed it on her forehead. She flinched at his touch and wished she was anywhere but here. Her blood ran cold as he ran the finger along her face. " Your are a pretty girl...pretty eyes...I guess you would be rather a different change from Li girls...I can see why Xiao Lang here chose you as the new play toy..."

His hand ran across her lips and down her neck and down her collarbone to the rise of her chest. He breath caught in fear and before she knew it, a hand had grabbed the Duke's in a steel cold grip.

" Stop it, Duke," Syaoran bit out, his eyes blazing, his teeth clenched. " You've got what you wanted. She's my guest and she will be treated with respect."

The Duke laughed, his eyes shining with triumph. " Alright, alright, Prince Xiao Lang. I see how it is." He walked back to his chair and the Queen was stiff with anger and shame. Shame at having the only heir to the Li Kingdom interacting with a Kinomoto.

Sakura was shaking hard and her mind burned with anger and fear at the words he had said. Why did he do that? What was he trying to prove?? 

Trembling, she looked up at Syaoran as he led her back through the crowd. He didn't meet her eyes as she put her into the hands of Tomoyo. He turned away from them and said icily, " Take care of her." Before disappearing back into the crowed.

Sakura could hardly think. All she remembered was the Duke's words, those dirty words, stripping her dignity, and that finger trailing down her face. Tearing away from Tomoyo, she ran to her room and raced to the water basin and washed her face rigorously.

Things were going to get nasty.

.a/n: HI!! Wats up?? I still think this fic might be a bit confusing, mostly cause its more descriptive than the other ones I have and more AU than the other ones as well. Well, Tomoyo was introduced and a new guy, Jel Tyran. Tell me what ya think, aight? I LUB ALL THE REVIEWS, but i need more!

See ya latez,

*starjade*


	9. A Promise

****

Misty Dreams

Card Captor Sakura

Chapter Nine

__

*starjade*

A Promise

Sakura hummed as she stitched up two patches of woven starwort. The prickles bit through her swollen hands, but she had to continue. She was sitting on the bench outside her small room, the sun shining in rays at the little garden she had fixed up.

Suddenly a small woof startled her. An old looking dog was staring at her with watery eyes, but the dog's teeth were bared in defence.

Sakura reached out with a hand, smiling as she touched the dog's head. The dog let her touch him, a small whimper coming from the dog. Suddenly, the dog jerked and growled.

Sakura looked up and Syaoran was walking towards them, looking sweaty as though he had just finished fighting.

" I guess you've met Kero. This is Meiling's dog. He's been really...testy lately, since Meiling disappeared," Syaoran said, his voice still as cold and un-giving as it always was.

Sakura was frowning at him_. Leg, why fight? Practice? Stitches come out, no heal._

Syaoran caught the jist of what she was saying and stared ruefully down at his leg. " Can't keep myself away from practicing. The leg's getting better though."

__

Stitches. 20 days must stay. Then take out. Sakura motioned with her fingers, still frowning. It wasn't good for him to be up and fighting in his condition.

Syaoran ran a hand through his hair and sat down a few paces away from her. " Don't worry. I'll come to you to take out the stitches. I just came today because.." He turned away, and ran a hand through his chestnut hair again.

" I apologize for the way my uncle treated you yesterday. You must understand, I couldn't do much about it, for he is my elder and still has a position of authority, even though I am a prince." He paused and his jaw clenched, and he continued, grimly, " Though I promise you, I will never allow him to do such a thing again. Never."

Sakura was a bit startled at the vehemence in his tone. She put her stitching away and peered at him. _Me, go home, when?_

Syaoran glanced at her furtively, before taking his eyes away. " I need...you have to stay here. For a year and a half I've been searching for Meiling. And on that last day, when I grabbed you from the lake, you were the first sign that Meiling was still...alive. Can't you tell me...can't you tell me where Meiling is? If Meiling is alive?? What happened to her??"

Sakura's eyes saddened. Meiling could be dead right now, lying in the forest, her eyes sightless. She had no idea and felt a profound feeling race through her at Syaoran's pain, as she shook her head in a silent no.

Syaoran sighed. " Of course you couldn't tell me. You can't speak. Why can't you speak? Do you choose to not speak?"

Sakura just stared at him blankly and Syaoran groaned and turned away from her. " Why do I try," He muttered under her breath, so low that Sakura barely caught it.

Sakura stared at him and then struggled to motion, _Meiling, why leave? Not happy?_

Syaoran understood what she was trying to say, and sighed. " Out of all the questions...Meiling...well, she and I were really close. I was never....I never wanted to marry. I don't want to marry anyone. My parents are so intent on me marrying someone...so I just said...well enough about that. I guess the mistake was when Meiling was allowed to train with me. She loved martial arts almost as much as I did."

Syaoran closed his eyes and leaned against the wall. " She wanted to go out and prove that women can fight. Of course, woman couldn't join the army, but she disguised herself as a guy and somehow got in. Her first task ,the most deadliest one, was to go deep into the forest and attack the border of the Kinomoto Kingdom. Everyone died. Yet the thing that's keeping me going is the fact that they didn't find Meiling's body and the fact that you have her-"

He stopped and froze. " Shit." Without looking at her, he said formerly, " I hope you enjoy your stay here," and left quickly.

Sakura stared after him, eyes wide with surprise. He had told her so much, that cold exterior melting just a bit until once again, he drew that mental block around him once more.

The dog, Kero, pushed his muzzle into her hand and she stroked his nose tenderly. He probably was shocked into awareness about what he was doing. Talking to the Witch of the Li Kingdom, the enemy, the filthy wench who had lay a spell on him.   
Mother, why did you do this to him? Sakura thought sombrely. Why did you force him to protect me?

************

__

Sakura scrunched her face up in pain as Tomoyo took out the piercing needles in her flesh.

" Come on, Keili, only one more!" Tomoyo said as she took out the last needle.

Sakura wrenched her hand away from Tomoyo, holding the throbbing hands to her chest. Tomoyo gently took it back and started to put a healing salve over it. Already, Sakura could see the swelling go down. Sakura knew all these remedies, for she was a healer herself, but she never did bother with her hands. It was only a little pain but Tomoyo was insistent on cutting down the risk of infection.

" I hope you'll be okay, Sakura, I really do. Why do you insist on making such shirts out of such a deadly plant?" Tomoyo asked, concernedly.

Sakura shrugged and Tomoyo sighed. " Look, just take care of yourself, alright? There's too much talk about you around the household..."

Sakura knew quite a lot of what was being said. She had bewitched Syaoran, that she was evil, she was a spy, she was a whore...things like that flew around the household like flies. The one rumour that was the most prominent however, was the one that she had put bewitching magic in Syaoran when she had healed him that one long day.

And sometimes, Sakura felt herself believing it. Of course, she had no magic. But her mother did. What if her mother had bewitched Syaoran into taking care of her? It was something her mother would do.

Sakura sighed, and looked at the empty sack that was used to carry her starwort. She needed more.

Quickly, she motioned to Tomoyo with her hands, pointing at the shirts she had made. _Starwort, here? In Li Land? Where? _

Tomoyo stared at her and then nodded, understanding. " You want to know about that plant your using to make those shirts, right? Well, they are here in Li Lands. They usually grown near lakes , right? Well there's a lake around these parts, where the plant grows aplenty. But it's too far from the Kingdom."

Sakura nodded slowly, a plan already formulating in her mind. 

***************

Sakura walked along the steps of the huge Li Kingdom, trying not to meet the eyes of anyone. She felt someone spit at her and she shuddered. She was getting used to the dirty looks and the scornful whispers, and knew she'd never fit in.

Why would she want to, anyways? She was a Kinomoto! The Li's were the enemy. Their sworn enemy.

" Hey, Keili!"

Sakura jerked out of her thoughts and looked up. A smiling Eriol was coming towards her and she smiled back.

" You getting along okay?" Eriol asked as he came up to her. Sakura nodded and Eriol took a cautious look around them.

" I've been hearing a lot of crap around the Kingdom and even more worse things in the villages. Take care of yourself, alright?"   
Sakura groaned inwardly. How many times had she heard that? Besides, the way that Syaoran was hovering around her all the time, there was no way she could ever even move an inch, besides getting out of the Kingdom.

Eriol grinned at her. " So did you really bewitch Syaoran? Seems like all the rumours are pointing to that!"

Sakura froze and stared at him. Eriol held his hands up.

" Hey, I'm joking! I know you didn't. Though I don't understand why Syaoran seems so vehement in keeping you here. Really, this is the most dangerous spot for a Kinomoto to stay. There are some people who are plotting to kill you-" Eriol stopped and looked back at Sakura, worriedly. " I really did not mean to say that!"

Sakura made a face. She had already expected that. She knew that it would've probably been worse, had there been a Li staying in the Kinomoto Kingdom. 

Eriol grinned at her. " You probably already know that. Well, at least your not one of those rich Kinomotos. Then they'd probably try to get a ransom out of you."

Sakura tried to smile. Yah. That was real good.

Suddenly there was a scream that echoed through the whole room. It shocked Eriol and Sakura to the bone and woman everywhere began to run all around the room. Screams and shouts everywhere and Eriol was getting worried and was trying to stop one of the women but none of them would stop, or they would just babble non-coherent things.

Sakura picked up her skirt and raced up the stairs, where it seemed like everyone was going. She heard a screech, " Lady Tomoyo is going into labour!!" and saw Eriol's face go white. He pushed everyone aside running up the stairs faster than anyone had ever seen and Sakura followed him as he tried to get into Tomoyo's room.

The midwife stopped him with a pale look. " We need you to stay out of the room. She's gone into pre- mature labours and we don't know what's wrong, but the baby isn't coming out. We need you to stay out."

Sakura gasped. Tomoyo! She was her only friend and Sakura felt ice trickle down her spine at the mid-wife's words. Sakura had her own experience of these things, she was a healer and she knew instantly what was wrong. The baby was being born breech first.

Sakura tried to push her way into the room, but a woman pushed her so hard, that she fell to the ground. 

" You witch are not going anywhere near the Lady! It's because of you she's going through this!" The woman screeched.

" Kinomoto whore!" Another woman muttered. " If we let her in, she's probably going to lay a spell on her."

Sakura tried desperately to motion that she could help but one of them grew pale and screamed, " She's laying a spell already!!"

One of them hit her with a broom and another spilled water all over her. Sakura stopped and stood there, drenched. Couldn't they understand that she could help??

Tears burning her eyes, she turned away as she heard another cry coming from the room. It hit her heart and she felt sad that she couldn't help her. Just this morning, Tomoyo was helping her take the thorns out of her skin. And now..

Sakura went down to her room, and took out the two shirts she had made and the third shirt that was almost finished. She could work on it...but the fact that there was chaos outside her door, she couldn't concentrate. 

She sat there, watching her garden, trying to bury the urge to storm up the stairs and force herself into the room. She knew she couldn't. This was the Li household. She had bewitched the heir of the throne. What more harm could she do?

Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. Syaoran burst in. " Keili, they need your help!!" Syaoran said, desperately. " Tomoyo's in labour!"

Sakura motioned with her hands, No want me, push me away.

Syaoran's eyes grew steely. " Come on!" He grabbed her wrist and pulled her up the stairs and down the corridor into Tomoyo's room. There were protests and someone cried, " Don't let the Kinomoto witch in!" But Syaoran kept going and finally they were in her room.

Tomoyo was lying on the bed, her teeth clenched tight. Sweat poured down her forehead, her bangs plastered to her face. " S-Sakura?" She whispered. " I was calling for you.."

Sakura went up to her and wiped away her sweaty bangs and nodded slowly.

The midwife grabbed Sakura's arm and pulled her away. " Don't touch her!" She hissed.

Syaoran growled, " She's going to help, midwife. Listen to her."

The midwife's eyes grew large. " What??"

" Listen. To. Her!" Syaoran said slowly, and then looked around the room. " If you don't, then I will be notified and you will all lose your jobs."

Everyone stared at Syaoran and then stared at Sakura. " Witch," Someone whispered, but Sakura ignored her as Tomoyo got into another contraction. Quickly, she ran around the room, gathering all things she needed and ran down the stairs to her room and grabbed all the healing herbs that she grew in her garden. Running back upstairs, she found Tomoyo already in labour.

Sakura wiped Tomoyo's forehead and mixed the herbs together into a concoction that she quickly boiled in water. A tea was formed and she gave it to Tomoyo who drunk it down, her eyes trusting.

" What is she doing? Is she crazy?" A girl whispered, but the midwife, with a tight set to her lips, set about helping Sakura. The tea helped Tomoyo get strength to push out the baby.

" It's being born breech first!" The midwife breathed. " The baby's not going to make it!"

Sakura clenched her teeth and Tomoyo screamed loudly as the baby came out. Please don't let the cord choke it, please...Sakura chanted in her mind as the baby's leg's appeared and then finally it's head. The cord was getting wrapped around the baby's neck and Sakura quickly cut it before it choked the baby. 

" A baby boy!" The midwife cried.

All was silent.

" That baby's not crying," Someone whispered. 

" It's dead."

Tomoyo was breathing hard. " My baby...my baby, is it dead?"

Sakura held the small baby in her arms, wiping it with the towel. He was silent and Sakura put two fingers against his neck. No pulse.

Someone started to cry and Sakura felt a sense of determination fill her. She wouldn't let it die!! She held the baby in her arms and put her mouth against his and breathed into him.

" What are you doing??" The midwife screeched and tried to pull the baby away, but Sakura kept a hold on it and breathed into the baby again. Breathe.

Suddenly, the baby began to wail. Everyone stared in shocked silence as the baby wailed and screamed and cried. Tomoyo began to laugh , a relieved laugh as Sakura handed the baby over to the midwife. Everything started to crash down on her as someone whispered, " She is a witch! She just proved it!"

Without pausing to think, Sakura got up and ran, ran out the door. She heard Eriol and Syaoran shout after her, but she kept on running, the front of her dress bloody, her breathing haggard and short. She ran outside the castle and into the gardens outside, down to the river and there, she collapsed on the shore. Tears poured from her eyes and she cried, hard.

She couldn't take it anymore. She wanted to go back home. She wanted to leave this place where everyone hated her. She wanted her brothers back. She wanted her father back.

Her body wracked with sobs, but she couldn't make a sound. She wanted to scream out her pain, but she had to hold it in. She wanted to pound the earth and yell out curses to those who hurt her, but she couldn't.

Why did this all have to happen to her?

" Keili?"

The voice, monotonous and cold as ever. Sakura kept her head buried in her hands and wouldn't look up.

Someone settled beside her, sitting a few feet away from her.

" Eriol wants to thank you," He finally said, after a few minutes. " Tomoyo and he are so happy. You saved their kid. You are a hero in this house now."

Sakura wanted to laugh bitterly. Hero?? How deluded was that? She was the enemy, the witch, the ugly whore who entranced the heir to the throne. She'd never save her brothers, or her father. She'd end up failing them all.

She was a failure.

Tears slipped out of her eyes and Syaoran sighed.

" Stop crying."

Another tear slipped out.

" God, would you stop??" Syaoran finally said, frustrated. " Can't you tell me why you cry all the time? What happened that night when you healed me? Where Meiling is, why I don't even know you and I care-"

He stopped and ran a hand through his hair as Sakura looked out over the water, keeping herself curled up and away from him. She didn't deserve his hospitality. Besides, she had bewitched him. What would he say to her once the spell wore off?

" Keili, I apologize," He took a deep breath. " You saved my life. You saved Eriol and Tomoyo's son. You've done so much for me. And what I do for you is bring you into a house where everyone hates you."

Sakura looked up surprised. It sounded strange coming from his mouth. His voice was still as expressionless and cold as ever, but the words were so different and-

Sakura shook her head. _No. You did a lot for me._

Syaoran looked at her, and there was an expression in his eyes that Sakura didn't recognise. " Keili...promise me something. Promise me you won't leave this castle while you're in my care. Promise me."

Sakura stared at him. Of all things to ask...

Finally she nodded. Syaoran's face relaxed but Sakura was motioning again. _You promise. Over water. Back home. Me._

Syaoran's jaw hardened but he nodded. " I promise. I'll take you home."

Sakura smiled at him and his lips twitched. He hid his face and looked out over the river again and then turned back to Sakura and got up. 

" Ready to go back?" He asked.

Sakura grabbed his hand, without even thinking. He brought her up and flipped her hand quickly. Sakura winced as he inspected her hands with a grim demeanour.

" I don't like this," He finally said. " I don't like what you're doing to yourself. Why are you doing this?"

Sakura wrenched her hand away from him and turned away. Syaoran sighed. " When I know what's making you cry...why your hurting yourself...when I find out who is doing this to you...I won't spare them."

Sakura blinked at him, startled, but he had already started for the castle, leaving Sakura staring after him, surprised.

Syaoran was a mystery to her. A cold, unforgiving prince, showing such...kindness, if you can call it that, to his enemy, to a wretched girl he had found in the river. Why didn't he just torture the information out of her?? Why didn't he just throw her away in the dungeons??

She didn't know. But she wasn't stupid. She knew that even if it was dangerous staying in the enemy's castle, it was the only way for her to escape Oribia and complete her task without any outside interference.

But she needed more starwort. And the only way was to escape the castle grounds...even if it meant breaking her promise.

a/n: Hey! Wat up? See, I've done another chapter!! I really get pissed off wit da amount of detail I put in this story, (I'm a dialogue sort of person) But, it's needed. Besides, she can't talk! lol!

Aight, send me suggetions, comments, predictions, watever da hell you want, just REVIEW! lol! 

see ya latez,

__

*starjade*


	10. A Lie

****

Misty Dreams

Chapter Eight

Card Captor Sakura

__

*starjade*

A Lie

" Keili? Where are you going?" Tomoyo asked, still weak from childbirth. She was rocking the baby back and forth on her lap and her face was aglow with maternal happiness. 

  
Sakura looked back at her and smiled_. Nowhere. Downstairs. Sew. Weave. _

Tomoyo nodded with understanding. " Alright, Keili. I'll meet you down there if I can. And...thanks so much for saving my baby."

Sakura rolled her eyes and Tomoyo giggled. That was the hundredth time Eriol and Tomoyo had said thank you. The rest of the household stayed clear of her, completely believing that she had bewitched the birth and lay a curse on the baby. 

Sakura crept down the stairs after saying her farewells. She felt bad about lying to Tomoyo...but what else could she do? Besides, she'd be back before anyone would realize she was gone.

She raced down to her room, grabbing her dagger and her pack. As she crept out of the doorway to the garden, Kero barked at her.

Sakura shook her head firmly, but Kero barked even louder. Sakura sighed. She couldn't blame Kero. Kero hadn't gone outside on an adventure for a long time. Ever since Meiling disappeared, that is.

Sakura put a finger to her lips at Kero and walked out of the small garden, quietly. Yamaki was on guard duty and was talking to two rather revealing girls who were giggling as if the first thing they did when they were born was giggle.

Well, it was convenient for her purposes. She crept past him and ran to the Kingdom gates. She and the dog followed a carriage that was leading out and with her poor clothes, she looked like part of the family. Once out, she raced out to the plain fields, walking along, searching for a lake. 

If there was a river, the river must join up to the lake...somewhere. Kero was enjoying the trip, barking at every butterfly and squirrel there was. Sakura walked and walked, following the river. It was quite far, but soon she saw the river opening up into a lake.

__

Yes, she thought and started to run. Kero chased after her as she ran breathlessly to the shore. And on the hills around the lake was huge plants of starwort. 

Quickly, she set to her task. Her hand were only slightly swollen because of her absence of raw starwort and at the touch of the plant, white fire raced through her arm as the needles dug their way into her skin. Gritting her teeth, she set about her task, cutting the plant and putting it into her bag.

After half an hour, she had finally filled her pack. It would be enough for two more shirts, and Sakura was filled with happiness. She had finished three shirts and she only had three left! She'd be done her task soon, she knew it!

Walking back through the woods, toward the plains ahead, Sakura felt something around her. She looked around quickly, but seeing nothing, she ignored it. Suddenly Kero began to growl loudly and a slight _twang _was heard in the air.

A howl filled the air and dread filled Sakura as she whipped around. What met her eyes made her gasp. Kero was pinned to a tree, an arrow protruding in his shoulder. He was whimpering and Sakura ran to the dog quickly.   
She had to get the arrow out, but she knew that Kero would bite if he was in too much pain, Gently she took hold of the arrow and pulled it out of the tree. Deeper whimpers came from Kero as she took a deep breath.

I'm sorry, Kero, she thought as she pulled the arrow shaft hard. Another howl filled the air as blood began to pour rapidly from the wound. Sakura ripped the bottom of her dress and wrapped the cloth around the wound quickly. 

" Oh! Fancy meeting you here....Keili, is it now?"

Sakura heard the voice and a dread filled her like a wave. Slowly she got up and turned around, meeting the blood red eyes of Duke Jel Tyran.

She quickly turned her attention back to the whining dog, trying to concentrate on picking the dog up and not on the fact that the Duke was staring at her.

" Oh is that your dog we hit?" The Duke laughed, his eyes cold. " My guards probably thought he was a wolf. I apologize for any...inconvenience that occurred because of my guard's faulty judgement."

Faulty judgement, Sakura thought bitterly, stroking the dog's fur. Yeah right.

Sakura finally hoisted the dog in her arms and winced. The starwort was heavy on her back and the dog's weight was a lot for a short girl like her.

The Duke was looking at her comically. " You are going to carry that dog all the way back?"

Sakura stuck out her chin and nodded. The Duke laughed. " Still not talking, eh?" Sakura walked forward, hoping the Duke would say his farewells, but the Duke was following her. " I wonder why that is."

Sakura gritted her teeth and walked. One step at a time, Sakura.

The Duke ran his hand through his hair. " I apologize for what I did to you at our last meaning. You must understand, I wanted to know if you were another slut that Syaoran brings home all the time."

Sakura clenched her teeth hard as the Duke grinned nastily at her. 

" It was quite a shock, you must understand. Kinomoto filth...in our own castle!! A peasant, nonetheless. It was quite unheard of. Yet with the services you do for him, I guess Syaoran is getting a lot more out of your presence than I am.."

Sakura tried not to understand what the evil man was saying. The dog was getting heavier and heavier and it was whimpering and shivering because of it's wound and Sakura glared at the Duke.

"I wonder how you enchanted him. There are many stories, rumours going around. How when you healed him you poisoned him and those hands of yours is the toll of what it must take out of you to keep Syaoran enchanted. Well, I don't believe any of that. I've always wondered what it must be like to lie with Kinomoto garbage. Syaoran is one lucky man, don't you think? Or desperate."

Sakura couldn't breathe. Why was this man spewing such evil thoughts? She was no whore, she hardly had a choice in coming here....why was everyone hating her? It might have been easier if they just threw her in the dungeons and left it at that. Then this vile rumours wouldn't pierce through that fragile armour around her. 

She was a beloved princess in her home country. Here, she was a witch seductress.

Sakura walked faster, trying to get back to the castle quickly. " Wait, my sweet!" The duke's laughing, snivelling voice called after her. With only a few long steps, he was next to her, grinning. " Why are you getting so worked up about it? Oh, wait, there's no use in asking that question. You can't even speak a word. Rather useful, I must add. If you were someone of important lineage, we couldn't use any ransom on you. Nor can we try and force the Kinomoto secrets out of you."

Sakura's cheeks flamed. She would never let any secrets out, no matter how much they tortured her! She gave him a deathly glare, and tried to ignore the throbbing ache in her arms as she struggled to carry the dog.

" But of course, with a bit of pleasure, any girl would give in. It doesn't have to be torturous, does it, my dear?"

His hand shot out and grabbed her wrist and she froze, as his cold fingers pulled her towards him. Her eyes looked up into his blood like eyes, which were gleaming with triumph.

" You'll spill everything, won't you?" The Duke said, his hand coming up her arm, over the bare skin of her neck. " A little pleasure will make you cry out every secret I need to know..." His fingers went to her lips and he began to lean in and Sakura's eyes winded with fear and disgust.

No! 

She stomped on the Duke's foot as hard as she could and the Duke doubled over in pain, crying out to his soldiers. Sakura began to run, as fast as she could, towards the castle. The dog in her arms was making it hard for her and exhaustion was traveling fast throughout her whole body but she kept running, her breathing coming in ragged puffs.

She could hear the Duke coming closer to her and she closed her eyes in defeat. Why was she so foolish?

" Duke Jel Tyran."

Sakura's blood froze and her heartbeat began to beat fast. She looked up slowly and there was Syaoran, on a horse, his chestnut hair ruffled from the breeze, those deep amber eyes cold and icy. Sakura's breath caught in her throat and she wondered why she felt as if she was being saved...even though Syaoran was her enemy.

" Oh, hello, Prince Li!" The Duke laughed, no sign of nervousness or a hint of what had just happened in his tone. If it wasn't for the slight hobble he had to endure as he walked toward Syaoran, you would hardly think he had been in such a position.

" Get on your horse and take your soldiers back to the castle," Syaoran said, his tone barely containing the anger that shook his voice.

The Duke grinned up at him. " As you wish..." He bowed low, almost mockingly. " Your highness."

Sakura stared after the Duke as they rode away. Not until they were out of sight, could she breathe again. Why was that Duke after her? There must be some sort of ulterior motive...

Syaoran didn't even look at her. His grip on the reigns were so tight, that his knuckles were going white, and his eyes were the iciest she had ever seen. He got off his horse and grabbed her around the wrist and pulled her up onto the horse. Sakura could hardly do anything but as they rode back to the castle, she knew that Syaoran was angry...really angry.

******************

Sakura stood alone in the parlour as Syaoran yelled at the stable boys and the servants. When he was done yelling his head off, he grabbed her again and pulled her up the stairs and up into Tomoyo's room.

Tomoyo started as Sakura was thrown into her arms. " Wh-what? Prince Li, what's wrong?"

" I'll be back," Syaoran said, his voice frighteningly cold and slammed the door behind him. Sakura was shivering hard, and Tomoyo stared at Sakura with wide eyes.

" What did you do to make him so angry?" Tomoyo asked, her voice awed. " The only time he was ever this angry was when the Queen was pushing him to get married."

Sakura just shook her head, morosely. Now Syaoran was probably going to kick her out of the castle for defying his orders. What could she do? She needed that starwort more than anything. It was to save her brothers!! 

She wondered what would have happened if Syaoran hadn't come on time when the Duke was chasing her. She didn't even want to think about it.

After a few minutes, where Tomoyo cooed to the baby in the carriage and folded sheets, Syaoran stormed in, his eyes enraged and livid. 

" What the hell were you thinking??" He yelled at the top of his voice at her. Sakura leaned back, shocked as the prince let out a cry of frustration. " What kind of idiot are you? I told you clearly not to go out and you did!!"

Sakura tried to motion with trembling fingers that she hadn't meant to hurt anyone when he whirled back on her and yelled, " You promised! You dammit promised not to go and you fucking left and broke the promise and..." He growled under his throat and grabbed her wrists and pulled her up from the chair.

" You could've fucking gotten-" He stopped and halted and tried to pull himself together, his eyes burning with anger and another emotion she couldn't define. Her wrists were hurting now as his clasp on them grew tighter and tighter and tears of pain rose to her eyes.

" Did-Did he do anything to you?" Syaoran finally said, his voice shaking, pulling her close to him. " Did he...hurt you?"

Sakura shook her head quickly, tears falling from her eyes.

" Syaoran, you're hurting Keili," Tomoyo said calmly.

Syaoran stared down at his hands and let go of her and she fell back, her wrists red and raw. She rubbed them as Syaoran paced back and forth.

" Prince Li, I don't mean to intrude, but what exactly did Keili do?" Tomoyo asked, cautiously.

Syaoran whirled on Tomoyo. " Why did you let her go? You're supposed to take care of her!! She just left the Li castle and went off god knows where and the Duke-" He stopped, still trying to get hold of his emotions and stomped back in front of Sakura.

" What did he say to you?" He said quietly, his voice shaking with fury.

Tears raced faster down her cheeks as Sakura fought to keep the tears down. "_I've always wondered what it must be like to lie with Kinomoto garbage. Syaoran is one lucky man, don't you think? Or desperate." _

She shook her head, trying to clear all those morbid things the Duke had said to her. She met Syaoran's cold, anger filled amber eyes with her own watery ones and he halted, staring at her.

She looked at him and tried to convey to him a simple message. Sorry...She didn't know if he understood or not, but he fumbled around in his pocket and threw a handkerchief at her.

" Here." He said, shortly, wrenching his eyes away from hers and standing up again. He unclenched his fists and clenched them again.

" What-What were you doing so far away from the castle?" he asked, and clearly it was a struggle to keep his voice calm and cool.

Sakura trembled and Tomoyo cut in. " I think I know...Keili's been asking about that plant she uses to make her weaving. Starwort, I think its called. Her supply has been cut short and she was probably stocking up."

Syaoran's lips were pressed tightly together and he bore into Sakura's eyes. She winced as he said slowly, " Why didn't you come to us? I could've gone and cut this plant for you! What was the need for you to lie to us and go behind our backs?"

Sakura winced. She really hated the sound of that. With shaking fingers she motioned out, _No, Me, Must cut, weave, thread._

Syaoran let out a burst of anger. " Then I will TAKE you there!! Just don't-" He stopped, his breathing shaky. " Just don't run off again. Please. Promise me."

Sakura nodded, wondering why he was getting so emotional. Maybe it was because of that spell her mother had laid on him? Maybe he felt some sort of guilt at not being able to protect her. Sakura looked at Syaoran sadly. Oh mother...what did you do? Why did you lay such a curse on a good prince?

Syaoran let out a sigh and reached out towards her and then froze and wrenched his hand back. " Tomoyo," He said cuttingly. Tomoyo jerked to attention. " Keep an eye on her. I'm trusting you."

Tomoyo nodded and Syaoran with not another glance at Sakura, walked out the door with some sort of mumble like, " Take care of the Duke," Or something like that.

As soon as Syaoran left, Sakura let out a breath that she hadn't know she was holding in. The baby was crying, probably because of Syaoran and Tomoyo was rocking the baby back and forth.   
Tomoyo smiled softly. " You must mean a lot to Syaoran...he never gets riled up like this over anyone...the closest was when Meiling disappeared."

Sakura looked down, her eyes wet. She hadn't meant to go behind Syaoran's back and get the plant...she hadn't even known they cared so much. She shuddered as she remembered Duke Jel Tyran...Syaoran had a right to be angry, Sakura thought sorrowfully. I am just a burden to him and this whole Kingdom.

With that thought lingering in her mind, Sakura grabbed her pack and left the room, Tomoyo staring sadly after her. 

************

Sakura sat in her garden, her hands covered in dirt to her wrists. The plants were thriving quite nicely and flowers decorated a garden of herbs and healing plants.

She sighed, trying to forget Syaoran's angry face. She hated making him angry. She didn't even know why, but she hated it. He was always cold and emotionless and instead of making him smile like she had been trying to do for days, he blew up at her.

Because she lied.

She didn't lie very much. When she did, she was the worst liar in the world. Someone would see right through her if she even told a little lie. Because she was mute, maybe it was more believable.

Sakura shook her head saddened and then her brow furrowed. She was a Kinomoto princess! Why was she worried that the prince of the Li Kingdom was angry at her?

Well, she wasn't a princess anymore. Oribia had probably taken over the castle by now...denounced all their titles...killed her father...and her brothers, stuck as swans. She wondered about Oribia's child...the child must have been born already. 

A little half brother or sister. 

She let out a tilted smile. Innocent the child may be now, but if they were to be raised by Oribia...

" Keili?"

Sakura got up quickly and stood to look at her guest. Syaoran stood there, his hands clenched tightly behind him. 

Sakura stared at her dirty, mud covered hands in dismay. Not like her hands were beautiful in the first place, but this was out of it's limit. She tired to wipe her hands on her dress but Syaoran interrupted.

" No, it's-it's alright. I just...I just..." He stuttered, his normally calm and cool exterior melting away.

Sakura held out her hands, questioningly. Syaoran sighed, running his hands through his hair and then his eyes widened as he spotted her wrist. They were bruised lightly because of Syaoran's harsh grip on her and he paled considerably.

Sakura hid her hands behind her back and his eyes went to her face. " Look, Keili...I just wanted to apologize. My rude behaviour was uncalled for. I was just angry that you....you broke your promise and left the castle premises."

Sakura hung her head and Syaoran coughed. " But no matter what, I shouldn't have treated you like that. I-I was just-" He stopped again and a muscle in his jaw clenched as he searched for what to say.

Sakura went up to him softly and smiled up at him. _It's alright. _

Syaoran stared at her and then coughed. " I got to go...royal duties." He stood around awkwardly and then turned on his heel and went back inside the castle. 

Sakura stared after him and then sat down once more. She had been thinking he would kick her out, back onto the street. Who knew..

a/n: Yes, who knew?? Lol, hi ppl! You guys did notice a mistake I made in the last chappie, where Tomoyo accidentally said Sakura...Sorry! I get so confused when I'm calling her Sakura and then ppl are callin her Keili...whoosh. Lol, aight, ppl, IGNORE THAT! Unless you guyz want me to go back and fix that in which i will tell you that I AM DOWNRIGHT TOO LAZY! 

lol, aight, tell me wat ya think, 

see ya latez,

*starjade*


	11. A Lady

Misty Dreams 

Chapter Nine

****

Card Captor Sakura

__

*starjade*

A Lady

" Queen Yelan Li! We have just gotten word about Princess Meiling!" A messenger came running in, breathless. 

The Queen stood up quickly, her eyes shining. " What information did you receive, messenger?"

The messenger looked sad and everyone's hearts were leaping into their throats. " Rather bad news, your highness. Are you sure-"

" I want to hear it!" The Queen said, snappishly, but you could tell that she was quite worried.

" Alright..." The messenger cleared his throat. " There has been news by a neighbouring village that Li Meiling has been spotted...yet not alive."

A hush fell across the castle's occupants and the Queen was white. " Wh-What?" Queen Yelan asked, her voice shaky.

" Meiling had been seen in the possession of the wilds in the woods. She was dead, pale and ghastly, lying on what seemed like a burial cloth. They knew it was her because of the Li necklace she wore. Her hair had been spread out in a fan and no blood could be seen on her, but there was no pulse either. The Wilds came back for her and that was the last they ever saw-"

" STOP!" The Queen yelled. The castle was silent and all you could hear was ragged breathing from more than one royal and crying heard from some of the ladies. 

The messenger bowed his head. " That is all, your highness."

The Queen nodded faintly at him and he turned away, walking fast out the doors. Queen Yelan stared at everyone for a few seconds before turning and walking away, her cape swirling out behind her.

Sakura was still shocked, her eyes wide and big. No, Meiling couldn't have died! She was too strong and she wouldn't have given up! 

Sakura turned and walked slowly back to her room. She sat beside her unfinished weaving and Kero came up to her, laying his head on her lap. She absentmindedly stroked his fur as she thought deeply. 

There was a knock at the door and Sakura got up to open it. Syaoran nearly fell into the doorway.

" Keili....it couldn't...it couldn't have been true!" Syaoran gasped. 

Sakura looked down sadly and looked back at him. It had to be true. Yamazaki had even told her that Meiling had been taken by The Wilds. It was true. Syaoran saw the expression on her face and shook his head, desperately.

" No, remember what the messenger said? They recognised her...by her necklace. The one that you have," Syaoran said, firmly.

Sakura looked up at him sharply. Could that be true? 

Sakura shook her head, trying to rid herself of that inkling of hope. _No...no.....messenger right._

Syaoran stared at her, almost pleadingly. " No, he has to be wrong. How is he right? The necklace wasn't with her!"

Sakura tried to motion with her hands about the fact that she was seen with the Wilds but he didn't understand her. She clasped her hands tight in her lap and Syaoran paced back and forth in front of her.

" I have to go get her...I have to go find her..." Syaoran was murmuring under his breath and Sakura looked up sharply. He couldn't leave her! Otherwise if he did, then the castle would-

Well, she couldn't be selfish. Meiling was in true danger and she was thinking about herself. 

Syaoran looked up at Sakura, with pained eyes and coughed, clearing his throat. " Look, I've got to go practice in the courtyards....just....just stay tight, alright?"

Sakura nodded, a bit confused as he walked out of the door and closed it tightly. She stared at the weaving she was doing. She had done about half of the fourth shirt and then there would only be two left. She was closer to having the shirts done....

She needed to finish them quickly, by the end of the year at least. Too many dangers...first, she was staying at the LI castle....second, the Duke was suspicious of her...and third, Oribia was still after her. And the biggest danger was her brothers couldn't survive in their swan form for too long...

Sakura grabbed her weaving and opened the door to get out. She gasped as she saw Syaoran still standing outside her door, his back to her. His bangs were hiding his eyes and his shoulders were tensed with worry and anger. He didn't notice her as he breathed hard, his shoulders rising up and down as he fought to control himself.

Sakura felt her heart melt with concern for Syaoran. He was under so much stress. Meiling was just pronounced dead, he was the sole heir to an entire Kingdom, he had to put up with ridicule for having a Kinomoto in the kingdom, treated kindly of all things and the stress of having to get married...

Wanting to comfort him, she raised her palm and placed it on the back of his neck. His skin was warm and her whole body tingled, straight from her palm to the tips of her toes. Her breath was taken away from her but it had an opposite effect on Syaoran. He jerked away from her, eyes wide with anger, ferocity, sadness and another emotion she couldn't define.

" Please...Don't touch me..." he said raggedly, panting. Sakura stared at him in shock as he backed away from her slowly before turning and running down the corridor, away from her.

Sakura stared after her. Something was wrong with Syaoran...and she needed to find out what it was.

**********************************

Sakura clenched the sides of the table hard. She really did not need to hear ANY of this. 

" There were twenty of them, stupid as they were ugly! They were talking in that strange, monkey like language of theirs and waving sticks, something they call swords at us. There were five of us, dressed like true warriors, holding swords bigger than any of them and we cut them down, five against twenty and they all went down, pleading for their mothers..."

Sakura grimaced. Duke Jel Tyran found these stories amusing. How could he? The ladies of the Li castle hung onto every word, every so often, glaring at her like it was all her fault. She stayed as far away from him as she possibly could, but it didn't matter. He spoke loudly and brashly at the dinner table and more than once, she tapped Yamaki to ask if she could leave, but he always murmured that it would seem rude.

Rude! Leaving the table was rude?? How about guffawing about massacring Kinomotos??

Sakura tried to calm herself down. First he spoke to her without a thought, telling her that she was a whore and a slut like she would somehow just take it and back down. Then he had assaulted her, twice. Now...she couldn't explain it. Her anger against him was near to the anger she felt against Oribia. 

  
She looked up, feeling sick. She couldn't eat and so she sat, sipping water. Her eyes trailed around the table and met with Syaoran's. He had been staring at her and quickly looked away as soon as their eyes met, his face turning red. Sakura looked at him concernedly. Maybe he was getting sick?

" Ah hem!" Duke coughed. " May I have your attention please?"

The table instantly silenced and Sakura set down her glass, her heart sinking. He was watching her, blood red eyes smirking. He was up to something.

" What do you want to speak about?" Syaoran asked, barely masked annoyance peeking through his expression.

The duke grinned innocently. " I just wanted to entertain you all with a little story I heard when I was out on Kinomoto lands with the soldiers. It is rather an interesting tale...and I'm sure that to some, they might be quite familiar with it."

Sakura could feel his eyes on her, and she looked down at her lap. She really did not need this...

Syaoran was studying the Duke, trying to figure out his intentions. " Alright," He said finally. " Tell us, Duke Jel Tyran. What is this 'interesting' story you have for us?"

The Duke coughed once more. Sakura noticed, as she had before, that whenever he spoke, he had a commanding voice. People listened to him. And that was more of a bad thing in her case than it was good.

The Duke got out of his chair and began to walk back and forth. " The Kinomotos are our enemies. Every Li has that written in their blood. We live, fighting Kinomotos and we'll die fighting Kinomotos. They are our rival, our blood enemy and our other half...our dark side."

Sakura could feel the glares that were coming her way, but a warning glance from Syaoran stopped them all. She could feel the fury at having a Kinomoto at the royal Li table rising and she tried to sink into her chair. If they only knew what kind of Kinomoto they had at their table, Sakura thought miserably.

" Yet as every pure hearted soldier knows, the Kinomoto land is a strange land. Full of magic, some people say. Some others say the forests are filled with old spirits. Some others say that it's all just foolery. Yet I'm here to tell you that there is magic in the Kinomoto lands. And this magic...worked against them in the best way possible."

Sakura clenched her fists underneath the table. Please don't, she thought furiously. Please don't let him know...

" The Royal Kinomoto family. They were a happy family. A loving husband, a loving wife. Six-no seven children. Six boys and one girl. Yet one day, the mother was struck ill. She died, leaving the husband to raise those seven children, soon to be princes and princesses, all by himself."

The table nodded. They already knew this. Sakura's nails were digging a groove in her palm and she winced as the Duke's gaze rested on her. 

" One day, as the boys grew into men and the girl into a beautiful woman, the King decided to marry once more. He married a woman who was very kind and partial to the King's children. Yet the children hated their kindly new mother and plotted against her. The magic of the Kinomoto forests did not like that. So one day, all the princes and princesses disappeared. Poof. Gone without a trace. They say the princess is still alive, searching for a way to save her brothers. Yet her brothers....no one has seen a trace of them to this day."

There was a silence around the whole table. One woman whispered, " Good riddance," While another whispered, " That's so sad. To have your children ripped away from you like that."

The Duke suddenly said loudly, " Well, we do have our own little Kinomoto here. Keili, that's her. I'm sure you're quite familiar with this story....aren't you?"

Sakura froze as the table's occupants swivelled around and stared at her. She flushed hard and glared at the Duke as he smirked at her. " I'm sure you have brothers you care about in your homeland. Wouldn't it kill you to have them ripped apart from you, spending years searching for a way to save them?"

Sakura's head was pounding. She hated Duke Jel Tyran...with a passion.

He laughed, his voice sinister. " It's what you call Karma. The Kinomotos had it coming. Now without the 'six powerful brothers' protecting those Kinomoto lands...its all free now. All free to attack and finally conquer those monster like Kinomotos. Right, my Li people?"

" RIGHT!"

There was hooting and cheering after that and the Duke sat down, satisfied. Sakura was breathing hard and got up silently and walked out of the room, shaking, not even noticing how Syaoran's eyes followed her out of the room.

**********************

" He never stops crying! Sometimes it gets tiring, but I never let the nurses tend to him. He's MY baby! I'll feed him!" Tomoyo said firmly. 

Sakura smiled at her and shook her head as she turned back to her sewing, wincing as a needle pierced her as soon as she touched the patch of starwort. Grimacing, she took hold of the patch and sewed it together with the other one, trying to be neat with the stitches.

Tomoyo watched her , that familiar pain in her eyes. " Keili, don-"

Sakura shook her head fiercely and Tomoyo sighed. " Fine. I won't say anything. I just don't want to see you torturing yourself like this."

Sakura smiled, softly and her eyes flitted to the ladies in the court who were also sitting and talking or doing embroidery. Many of them were watching her and there was a clear space around Tomoyo and Sakura. Glares, rude comments, even sometimes a spit or two ( which was very unladylike, Tomoyo pointed out) was thrown at Sakura.

As hard as it may be to believe, Sakura had almost gotten used to it.

" Well, this-" Tomoyo held up half finished baby shoes, " is almost finished. Aren't they going to look absolutely adorable on my baby?"

Sakura nodded, grinning at the glow that emanated from Tomoyo. Tomoyo was absolutely thrilled at the arrival of her baby and never stopped talking about the adorable little boy. 

Suddenly, a lady came rushing in, screeching, " Lady Rita is here! She's here!"

There was a gasp among the ladies and many smirks were pointedly directed at Sakura as everyone began to rush out of the courtyard. Sakura looked around confusedly, and looked at Tomoyo for help. Tomoyo's face had whitened.

Sakura touched Tomoyo's arms with one of her puffy hands, questioningly. Tomoyo smiled at her, though it was a bit weak.

" I hate these visits," Tomoyo groaned.

Sakura looked at her with a question in her eyes and Tomoyo sighed. " Remember when I told you that Syaoran was engaged? Well that lady is here. Right now. About to reign over us once more with her prissiness and lady like demeanour." Tomoyo rolled her eyes as she said this.

Sakura's heart was sinking, considerably. Why, she didn't know, but she felt a sudden anger towards Lady Rita. 

She isn't worthy of Syaoran, she thought angrily. Then she took hold of herself. Why was she saying that? She hadn't even MET Lady Rita! For all she knew, she could be a nice, kind, generous, beautiful lady and Syaoran was probably in love with her...

That did nothing to cheer her up and only depressed her even more. 

" Let's go, Sakura," Tomoyo sighed. " We're going to have to meet her anyways. Let's just go meet her with the other ladies and maybe she won't notice us much." There was definite sarcasm in her voice and Sakura knew exactly what she was talking about.

Everyone noticed the little, dingy Kinomoto that Syaoran had dragged across the border to live with them. And there was little change that Lady Rita would 'overlook' that fact.

*************

Sakura wrung her hands behind her back as she stood at the back of the crowd of ladies and gentlemen of the castle. Tomoyo had made her wear the dress that was better than her work dress, the one she had worn when she had met Duke Jel Tyran.

She just hoped this meeting wouldn't have the same results.

She kept her eyes lowered to the floor, so that Lady Rita, whoever she was, wouldn't notice her as fast. Soon, however, she could hear a high, lovely voice talking.

" I heard there was a.....Kinomoto living here as well. Where is she?" The voice was saying.

Sakura groaned. Of course. This just had to happen. 

  
None to gently, Sakura felt herself being pushed towards the centre of the crowd. There was silence and Sakura kept her hands behind her back and her eyes to the floor.

Maybe she would just say a quick 'Hi!' and leave Sakura alone?

" So this is the Kinomoto..." The voice said, slowly.

Sakura felt curiosity get the better of her and looked up carefully. She was a beautiful woman...no doubt about that. Angelic brown gold curls cascaded down her back. Wide, cerulean blue eyes blinked at her curiously. Rose pink lips smiled at her and her pale skin was set off nicely with the peach colour gown she was wearing.

Sakura never felt so drab in her life. All she was wearing was a single wool dress that was patched up in some places and hung on her non-existent curves. Her hands were swollen, purpled and full with needles and her hair tangled and messy. She was a thin stick, her hair limp and her skin pale. .

  
Why am I comparing myself with her, Sakura thought furiously as Lady Rita looked Sakura over. It's not like it matters that she is gorgeous. Why should I care?

" What happened to your hands?" Lady Rita asked, a bit of surprise coming into her musical voice.

Sakura flushed and Tomoyo quickly explained, " She makes shirts out of starwort for a purpose yet unknown, but quite important."

Lady Rita nodded, her golden curls falling over her shoulder. Sakura could hear the many sighs of the gentlemen and knights of the court and she winced. Did Syaoran fall all over like these men did? Did he worship the ground she walked on?

It's not like I blame him, Sakura thought sullenly. She is absolutely perfect.

Lady Rita walked up to her, her eyes connecting straight with Sakura's, not letting her go. " What is your name?" She whispered softly.

Sakura bit her lip but she couldn't break eye contact. Once again, Tomoyo answered for her. " Her name....well, the name we gave her is Keili."

Lady Rita's perfect eyebrows rose. " Why doesn't she speak for herself? And what do you mean, the name we gave her?"

Tomoyo looked uncomfortable. " Well, Keili doesn't speak. We don't know why either. All we know is that Syaoran stumbled upon her while on his....quest, and she saved his life. He brought her here because she was homeless and he owed her a great deal."

The Lady's eyes grew clouded. " Prince Li would never do that..." She turned her eyes back to Sakura's. " You must mean quite a deal to Prince Li."

" Ha!" Someone in the crowd snorted. " It's only because she bewitched him!"

" A foul Kinomoto peasant!" Another one crowed. " Ugly as she is barbaric."

Sakura's fists clenched but she didn't say anything. Suddenly, someone burst through the doors and Lady Rita's eyes brightened considerably.

" Prince Li!" She said blissfully. " Oh Prince Li! How I missed you!"

Sakura turned around and looked. Syaoran stood there, dressed in his finest as Lady Rita ran into his arms. The crowd oohed and aahed, many sneering at Sakura with what seemed like triumph on their faces as Sakura watched the perfect couple, her heart sinking.

a/n: Wat! Lady Rita is in da house! Wat ya think gonna happen next? I dunno, i haven't exactly written the next chapter yet, so it could be anything! Ppl, send in suggestions aight? Thanks everyone for reviewing! And sorry to that person who said I swore too much in this story... for me, it sort of heightens the affect on the readers when you read it, cause what kind of prince swears? Only when their really angry, rite?

Aight, see ya latez,

*starjade*


	12. A Fire

Misty Dreams

****

Card Captor Sakura

Chapter Ten

__

*starjade*

A Fire

Sakura felt as if the whole court was watching for her reaction, rather gleefully. Only Tomoyo was by her side as she watched Lady Rita run into Syaoran's arms.

Why was everyone watching her? Its not like she _liked _Prince Syaoran that way! She hardly cared who was getting married to him and who wasn't!

Yes you do, a little voice inside her whispered. Why do you feel as if your hearts about to break if you didn't?

Sakura ignored the little voice and tried to control her breathing as she forced a smile onto her face as Syaoran stood there, frozen, as Lady Rita fawned over him.

" Your so handsome! Even more than when I saw you last time! I heard that you got injured!! Oh my poor baby!" Lady Rita was exclaiming. 

Yelan was standing behind Prince Syaoran and Lady Rita, a grim smile on her face. She looked rather satisfied, as Syaoran tried to release himself from her hold.

" Lady...Rita....please....let go of me..." Syaoran choked out.

Lady Rita gasped and let go of him, blue eyes wide with innocence. " Syaoran? Are you okay?" 

" Yeah, I'm okay..." He was about to say something more, but he stopped and looked around the room, where the room's occupants were staring at the couple, eagerly.

" WILL YOU GET LOST?" He yelled at the top of his lungs. Everyone jumped, including Sakura and they all hurried out of the room.

Sakura, so confused, tried to follow everyone, but ended up being the last person leaving the room and Syaoran cut in, " Keili, wait."

" I wonder who gave her that name," Lady Rita said softly, looking at Syaoran. She looked back at Sakura and her observing eyes took in all she needed to her and she gathered her skirts in both hands and curtsied to Syaoran.

" Your royal highness, Prince Syaoran. I will take my leave....and I eagerly wait the day where we will be joined together as one, husband and wife, King and Queen." Rita said forwardly.

Syaoran nodded stiffly and she walked away, her hips swaying, her hair gloriously taking in the shine of sunlight from the windows, her soft silk slippers making absolutely no sound as she glided out of the room.

Sakura looked down at her dirty, ripped shoes, ashamed. Is that why Syaoran liked Rita so much? Because Rita was so beautiful, so gorgeous, so lady like-

" Keili?"

Sakura looked up, her eyes surprised as they met Syaoran's amber ones. Her heart gave a funny jolt and she attempted to smile at him.

" Look, Keili....I didn't want to be engaged to her but-" Syaoran started.

Sakura shrugged, and motioned, _You are Prince. You marry. No explanation._

Syaoran looked pained for some reason and took a step forward. " Keili-" He stopped and he shuddered, turning away from her. " I wish I knew your real name..." he murmured so low that Sakura could hardly hear it.

With that quiet sentence, he walked out of the room without a goodbye or a farewell. Sakura was left alone, in the finest room of the royal palace, dressed like the lowest servant. Maybe that's all she would be....until she broke the curse.

Sakura looked down at her swollen hands and a tear fell from her eyes. 

She wanted to experience all that she was missing out on....love, marriage, children.....but she probably never could. No one would want her....ugly as she was, as wretched as she was....and that caused more pain in her heart than she thought it ever would.

*************

Sakura walked to the courtyard where all the other woman were to be sewing and knitting for the upcoming marriage.

Yet when she got there, all the woman had gathered around excitedly at one of the walls protecting the courtyard from the training field.

Sakura walked over to Tomoyo, who was rocking her baby Taryk, and singing to it. 

" Hey, Keili," Tomoyo said cheerfully. When she saw Sakura's questioning gaze, Tomoyo giggled. 

" If you want to see what they're all looking at, why don't you go see for yourself?" Tomoyo said slyly.

Sakura rose an eyebrow confusedly and decided to go see for herself. She walked over to the wall, standing a few feet away from the other woman and peeked over.

All she saw was men fighting. 

Then she saw WHO was fighting. It was Syaoran. All the woman were sighing after him for he stood bare chested in the middle of a fight with another man. 

Sakura felt her heart beat race and she blinked at him. He looks very handsome, she thought to herself and peeked over at the other woman who had their hands on their hearts, some of them fluttering themselves and winking any time Syaoran looked over at them.

It was rather sickening.

Sakura turned her attention back to the fight. Syaoran was winning, sweat pouring from his chestnut bangs down his face and down his chiselled chest. She watched him as he avoided the other man's blows, delivering his own to the man's midriff. He swung around the other man and grabbed him around his neck, flipping him over. 

  
All the woman swooned and squealed and Sakura winced. Just as she was turning back to Tomoyo, she heard a sharp intake of breath that was probably not heard by many, except her hearing was quite good and she whirled around. 

  
Syaoran was sweating even more, and his face was pained as he touched his leg. Sakura growled. He had to take his stitches out today and he was putting so much pressure on his leg that the wound would probably open again and-

Sakura didn't think. She ran out the gate into the training yard and all the way up to Syaoran. Everyone gasped, shocked as the Kinomoto girl ran up to Syaoran and started to motion frantically to his leg. 

" Wha-Keili, what the heck are you doing here-my leg?" Syaoran stumbled, his face red for some reason. The women were glaring at her, some of them openly pointing at her and shouting " Witch! Seductress!" at her. Tomoyo was watching her with a rather knowing grin and all the men were staring, open jawed at the two.

" Oh....my leg.....you have to take the stitches out, don't you?" Syaoran finally said.

Sakura put her hands on her hips and pushed him angrily. Syaoran's mouth quirked at the corners. " Oh come on. Let me off, I need to train!"

Sakura shook her head, furiously. _You Hurt! _

Syaoran watched her push him again, as if that would hurt him and then he smiled, broadly at her. Another gasp went through the courtyard, for Syaoran smiling was one rare thing to see. He chuckled softly and said, " Why don't we leave now and you can take the stitches out?"

Sakura nodded, still angry and began to push him out. " I need my shirt!" Syaoran protested.

Sakura finally then realised the enormity of what she had done. She, the wretched Kinomoto enemy, had just ran out into a men's only training session, ordered _Prince _Syaoran around without any words, pushed him while he was half naked...

God, she knew that her reputation had lowered....if it was even possible.

Sakura looked cautiously at the group of woman who were gaping at her. Some of them were openly glaring and sneering at her and one of them spit at her and they all snickered. Tomoyo was watching her too, with a slight smile on her face, nodding as Sakura looked at her. 

Sakura sighed. Why didn't she ever think before she acted?

" Ready, Keili?" Syaoran asked.

Sakura nodded and then glared at him. _No training. I say so, then train. _

Syaoran chuckled again and Sakura felt a strange feeling deep in her chest and her heartbeat doubled in speed. " Alright! Alright! I don't know what you'll do if I don't obey you!"

Sakura grinned but as she was turning to walk into the castle, she saw Lady Rita, standing near the group of woman, her eyes on her. Sakura tried to smile at her, but Lady Rita just watched her, emotionlessly, as Sakura walked into the castle after Syaoran.

**********

" OWWWWWWW!"

Sakura looked up at him concerned and he glared at her. " Watch it, will you?"

__

No hurt, Sakura motioned. _You hurt when take out knife. _

Syaoran winced. " Well, that was my manly time. This is, OW, the time that, OW, I can finally, OW, say that this, OWWWW, kills!"

Sakura rolled her eyes. as she took out the last of his stitches. Syaoran was howling and Sakura put her hands on her hips and looked at him with raised eyebrows.

Syaoran, who was still flinching in pain, looked at her with almost a sheepish expression. " What??"

Sakura shook her head, a slight smile on her face as she grabbed some soothing lotion she had made from her herbal garden and spread it over his leg, massaging it in.

There was silence as she worked and when she was finally satisfied, she pulled down his pant leg and grinned up at him. Syaoran was watching her with a funny expression and Sakura rose an eyebrow at him. He looked at her, and as if he was jolted out of some sort of reverie, he coughed, his face red. " Yeah...thanks, Keili."

Sakura smiled and patted his head, grinning broadly. Syaoran glared. " What, am I Kero now? Some dog you can pet around?"

Sakura smiled even more broadly, her eyes twinkling with amusement. Syaoran smiled too and Sakura's heart fluttered. Syaoran's smile slipped off his face and he frowned.

" Keili....don't you ever miss laughing?" Syaoran asked, his voice deep. " Don't you ever miss laughing, crying....just talking to people?"

Sakura's heart froze and she stared at him as he looked at her. " Who did this to you? Who made you stop speaking? What happened?" He asked softly. When Sakura didn't answer, he swallowed. " Does this have anything to do with Meiling?"

Of course. Syaoran was not concerned about her. He thought that something bad had happened to Meiling because something bad had happened to Sakura. Sakura turned away and shook her head. She wiped her hands off on a towel and made her way out the door, ignoring Syaoran's calls after her.

Why did it hurt her so much? The fact that she was only here because of Syaoran's need of information....the only reason Syaoran was being so nice to hr was the fact that her mother had put a spell on him....and the fact that Syaoran was engaged to another woman....it all made her chest ache with a deep hurt she couldn't define.

She couldn't be falling for Prince Li....could she?

That was preposterous! Prince Li...she spent her whole life hating him! Hating his people, hating his name, hating his family, his ancestors, his land-

And here she was......falling for him.

**********

Lady Rita made her way through the hallways, her eyes intent on one person. Tomoyo was sewing a little baby shirt, a slight smile on her face as she looked at her baby which lay, sleeping in a rocker.

Lady Rita gathered her skirts up and sat down beside Tomoyo, who looked up startled.

" Oh...Princess Rita!" Tomoyo stumbled, red cheeked as she got to her feet awkwardly. Rita smiled, warmly.

" It's alright Tomoyo. I just wanted to talk to you for a few minutes." Lady Rita said kindly.

Tomoyo looked Rita up and down suspiciously and sat down, warily. " Alright then...."

Lady Rita looked at the sleeping baby. " Such a sweet baby. Looks like his father. Where is Eriol, by the way?"

" Syaoran sent him out to look for information about Meiling," Tomoyo said slowly. " Why do you care?"

Lady Rita's cerulean blue eyes looked surprised. " What ever do you mean, Lady Tomoyo?"

Tomoyo let out a hiss, her eyes narrowing. " You know exactly what I mean, Lady Rita. Why are you trying to act pure and innocent? I still remember when you tried to sabotage every single meeting from any princess who came to meet Syaoran."

Lady Rita laughed, a musical sound. " Oh, that was when I was immature and blinded with my love for Syaoran. Now that we're engaged....I know I have no enemies." Rita's blue eyes glinted with an icy look for a second, before softening and looking back at Tomoyo.

" I just wanted to tell you that I apologize for not being here for little Taryk's birth. I was caught up with my land's affairs-"

" Yah, well, save it." Tomoyo said huffily. Her fingers were gentle as they touched little Taryk's hands. " If it wasn't for Keili..."

" Keili, yes...I was wondering about her," Lady Rita cut in smoothly. 

Tomoyo's eyes narrowed in suspicion as Lady Rita continued, " I've been hearing many rumours about her. A witch, some say. A seductress. She is a Kinomoto-"

" God, will any of us loose the notion that all Kinomotos are evil?" Tomoyo burst out. " Keili is not a witch or a seductress! She is an innocent girl caught up in something too big for her to handle...if only I knew what it was, I would help her!"

Lady Rita rose her eyebrows. " I've never seen Syaoran so....caring before. If someone helps him, then a few coins would do. Why did he bring her back to the Kingdom? You know how Syaoran is. You must admit, the idea is far fetched. Yet it happened....do you not think....magical forces may be involved?" 

  
She rose an eyebrow at Tomoyo and anger filled Tomoyo like a wave. 

" Lady Rita, please do not ask me anymore questions and leave my room immediately," Tomoyo said through gritted teeth, forgetting that Lady Rita could be the next Queen of the Li Kingdom. Rita just got up and walked towards the door.

" I mean no offence," Lady Rita said softly. " I am just looking at the facts. You should too, Tomoyo. You are a Li...."

She trailed off and looked at her pointedly, before leaving the room. Tomoyo growled furiously and went to the door, slamming it shut. All she knew was that Sakura was a young, innocent girl who needed a friend. And she was never a person to betray a friend in need.

*****************

  
Sakura could hardly keep the smile off her face. The Duke was leaving today and even though he would come back for the wedding, he wouldn't be around anymore to leer at her or smirk and remark about her filthy Kinomoto blood.

She stood at the gateways with the rest of the Li people as they all waved goodbye to the Duke. The Duke was grinning, his blood red eyes alight.

" I will miss you all," He said imperiously. " But I will come back for my dear Prince Xiao-Lang's wedding. It will be a celebration of all the Li people as the Li Kingdom finally gets a new king!"

The people all around her cheered as the Duke waved goodbye and got onto his horse. But before he left, he winked at Sakura and saluted her. Sakura glared at him, wondering why he looked so triumphant. 

What had he done?

As the horses rode away and the Li people began to disperse, Sakura went back into the castle slowly. Even though the Duke was gone, Lady Rita was still here. Lady Rita was kind and gentle, even though she watched Sakura like a hawk sometimes. Especially when Sakura was around Syaoran. 

She wondered if Syaoran loved Rita a lot. She wondered if he dreamed about their marriage, their honeymoon and the kids they'd raise. Her heart lowered as she thought about the wonderful couple. They looked so good together. Lady Rita was the perfect queen and Syaoran was the perfect husband.

So Sakura had developed a little, foolish crush on Syaoran. So what? It was nothing big. Besides, if it did develop into something more and god forbid, Syaoran felt the same way ( which was highly impossible) what sort of queen would she make? A scrawny Kinomoto, washed up on the shore to be the Queen of the Li people. 

Besides...she was a Kinomoto princess. She had been forgetting that lately. When people treated you like dirt...sometimes, you began to feel like it. She was loyal to the Kinomoto people and would never let them down. She knew she would never reign over the Li people..

Where were her thoughts taking her? Sakura let out a small giggle. It was only a crush. Why was she thinking about this? Lady Rita and Syaoran were getting married in a month. End of story. By the end of the year, the shirts will be finished, the curse lifted and she could go back home.

That was it...that was it....

Suddenly a scream went through the castle and Sakura was jolted out of her thoughts.

" FIRE!" Someone yelled. " FIRE IN THE CASTLE!"

Sakura jumped as people began to scream and panic, rushing back and forth. Sakura could smell smoke and she began to get worried. The fire wasn't in Tomoyo's room, was it? Taryk was in there, if the fire was in there-

Sakura began to run, following the crowd to the fire. People rushed past her with pails of water and they ran into a room and began to pour it over the fire. The fire was big, but after many pails, it fizzed out, leaving the room blackened and scorched.

Sakura then realized, it was her room.

With a gasp, she raced to the front of the crowd and stumbled into her room. Everything was blackened and she looked around desperately. She went to her bed where two of the four shirts were laying as well as her supply of starwort..

And all that was left was a pile of dust.

Her eyes were wide and she backed away slowly. No, this couldn't be happening! Her shirts...no, no, no! She fell to her knees and touched the dust with her fingers, letting the burned needles run through her fingers.

She could hear fighting voices coming near her room.

" It was the Duke! I swear it was!"

" Xiao-Lang, it was an accident. A maid probably knocked down a candle, its a common occurrence."

The reached her room and stopped as they watched Sakura surrounded by a blackened, scorched room, on her knees and staring at a pile of dust.

" Oh, Keili," Syaoran started.

Sakura started to cry. Huge gulping sobs racked through her body but she could only shake silently with tears racing down her face. She would never finish the shirts....and her brothers....stuck in a swan shape forever...

a/n: Aw, thats sad. Thanks so much for the reviews! Some of u read a lot of versions of the six swans, and mine takes most of those stories and a few twists added in...just because I want to. And the fact it makes the story more interesting. 

Alright, ppl, REVIEW. I know you all desperately want to tell me whether my story is great or my story sucks like hell, so review and have ur say. Even if u say update now...but I warn you, I have a severe disorder in which I can only obey the first word in a demand, so I will update, but if the 'now' is when I finish the next chapter, then yes, I will update 'now'

lol, aight, ppl, READ and REVIEW!

See ya latez,

__

~starjade~


	13. A Ball

****

Misty Dreams

Card Captor Sakura

Chapter Eleven

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~starjade~

A Ball

Her shoulders shook with tears and she pounded the dusty needles with her fist and the dust flew everywhere, but all she could do was cry. Footsteps neared her and a hand came out, tentatively, to touch her shoulder.

Sakura jerked away from the unwanted touch, moving fast across the floor to the other side of the room, She wrapped her arms around her legs and let her tears out. Syaoran stood there, his eyes pained. He turned to his mother angrily.

" See!! See what that jerk Duke did?" Syaoran yelled. " Now what is Keili going to do? She's been making those shirts for so long....now this means another four months of labour and pain. How could you stand by and see this?"

Yelan looked cautiously at Keili. " I have to say, I feel some sympathy for the girl. But there is nothing I can do. We have no proof nor are we in the position to accuse him. Duke Jel Tyran is in control of our entire Li armies and we cannot do any sort of action against him without raising a rebellion in the armies."

Syaoran clenched his jaw, his eyes stormy. His fists clenched, he turned and kicked the bed angrily, letting a cry of frustration out, before storming out of the room. Yelan, with one glance to Sakura, turned and followed her son.

Sakura was left in the corner alone, sobbing, her tears falling down her cheeks, wishing she could scream out her pain. The dust of her labour was scattered across the floor and she touched it with trembling fingers and rose her face towards the window.

__

I'm sorry, brothers. I am so sorry..

*************

Of course, all the while Sakura was alone in sorrow, the castle was erupting with joy and cheer. A ball was to be soon held for single men and single women to unite, a tradition long held by the Li Kingdom in honour of a soon to come wedding.

The days flew by as the ladies rushed back and forth, planning, arranging, squealing and making eyes at equally excited men of the court. The kitchens were full of people making a grand feast and gossiping about the latest couples among the ladies and gentlemen in the castle. 

Of course, the royal couple was the most gossiped about.

" How did they meet?" 

" I heard Prince Xiao-Lang proposed to her under the stars...."

" You should hear Lady Rita talk about their times together-"

Sakura was not proud to say that this made her even more miserable. She had long come to terms that she had indeed a crush on Prince Syaoran-this much was expected, was it not? He was her saviour, he was one of the few kind people in the castle and his eyes melted her insides until she couldn't breathe...

Yes. She did have a slight crush on him. But it was nothing big!

Lady Rita helped out around the castle too, her eyes shining and the gentlemen and knights sighing after her as she passed like a fragrant bloom in the summertime. 

Everyone in the castle were awed with her and servants gossiped that the castle would be the happiest and the most successful with Lady Rita as the Queen. Apparently, she had a vast quantity of knowledge as well, something very rare in women.

Sakura often found herself wishing that Lady Rita would go back to her own home-but then what would that do? Lady Rita made Syaoran happy-at least she thought so. And the thing she wanted most was to make Syaoran happy.

Sighing to herself, Sakura walked through the garden, turning her thoughts back to the shirts. Pain went through her again as she thought of her brothers, lost in the form of swans. Tears threatened to spill past her eyes as she thought of that dust-months of work, burned in a second. 

How could this happen to her? Why did the Duke hate her so much? Why did it matter what sort of blood you had? She was a person too and she did not need all this pain she was going through. 

At least she did have two shirts.....which was all that was left from the fire. Two shirts...for six brothers. Fighting back tears, she walked on through the garden, stopping to pluck a peach coloured flower from one of the flowerbeds. 

" Hello, Lady Keili-How do you do?"

The voice startled Sakura and she whirled around. Her eyes brightened and she grinned broadly, throwing her arms around the navy eyed boy.

" I'm glad to see you too!" Eriol said laughingly.

Sakura pulled away an looked at him questioningly. Eriol's eyes darkened as he interpreted her clear question in her eyes. 

" Well....it was a hard journey. I now know for a fact that Meiling had been with the Wilds - but now, I have no idea where she might be. Every village says she's dead and my men managed to catch a Wild and all we could understand was the fact that Meiling was not with them anymore. Dead, or maybe she ran away-we don't know."

Sakura's eyes lowered and her shoulders drooped. What if Meiling was dead? What if Eriol and Syaoran were holding on to false hope? All she could do was hope with them. Meiling was a strong women, enough to sneak into the army and get past the Kinomoto armies and into the Kinomoto castle for goodness sakes. She can't have died!

" So, where's Syaoran?" Eriol asked. " And-Where's Tomoyo? And Taryk?"

Sakura grinned at the excited anticipation in his face. _Tomoyo-Tayrk fine_, she motioned. _Syaoran with woman._

Eriol's eyebrows rose. " I have no idea what you just signed to me."

Sakura huffed. At least Syaoran got it! As if commanded, Syaoran came through the doorways. His eyes lit up as he saw Eriol.

" Eriol!" Syaoran cried and came over, grasping Eriol's hand and clapping him on the back. He pulled back and searched Eriol's face almost desperately. " Did-did you find something-anything?"

Eriol nodded, a bit sadly and proceeded to tell him what he had just told her. Syaoran's amber eyes were shadowed and his jaw clenched tightly.

" We have to go find her," Syaoran growled. 

Sakura shook her head. _Wedding, you wait._

" What's she saying, Syaoran?" Eriol asked.

" The wedding..." Syaoran sighed, his voice heavy. " Lady Rita-"

Comprehension filled Eriol's eyes. " Ohhh...So Lady Rita came? She isn't-well, she isn't trying to-"

" No, not anymore. She's quite content now, knowing that there isn't any competition," Syaoran groaned and ran a hand through his hair. 

" Really now.." Eriol murmured and lifted an eyebrow. Syaoran caught it and his cheeks tinted red.

" Absolutely no competition," Syaoran said, forcing his words out. A servant passed by, holding a wedding dress and Syaoran moaned. " The wedding is so soon-I can't believe my mother did this to me-"

" Well, she did play with your emotions deliberately. But she was doing what she thought was best. Te way you treated all those other woman who came-" Eriol started and stopped at Syaoran's glare.

Sakura watched the two, trying to understand the conversation. Did Syaoran want to marry Lady Rita? Or was he.....forced to?

" Well, Lady Rita is a good friend of mine," Syaoran said slowly, shoving his hands in his pockets. " I guess getting married wouldn't be so bad-"

" That's the spirit!" Eriol cried out and Syaoran turned red as Eriol whooped joyfully. Sakura felt her heart sink as Eriol cried out, "My best friend getting married! I didn't think I'd ever see the day!"

Syaoran was red as a tomato and growled, " Eriol, Taryk and Tomoyo are upstairs. Would you not like to go see them?"

Eriol sweat dropped. " Yah....yah, I would like to see them..." And he bounded away, leaving Sakura and Syaoran in an awkward silence.

" So..." Syaoran started. "You-you did a good job on my leg. Good as....new."

Sakura nodded, a bit more enthusiastically then was required and then lowered her eyes to the floor. They both glanced at each other skittishly. 

" I've gotta go," Syaoran said, quickly and he turned on his heel and walked out of the garden faster then anything. Sakura watched him go, her heart bleeding. Would she still be here after he got married? Would he be too involved in Lady Rita to notice her anymore? Then the Kingdom would throw her out and she would be killed in two seconds.

Holding back any self-pity, she went inside and headed off to the main room where all the ladies were busy sewing and making new clothes and decorations for the upcoming ball. Maybe a bit of Tomoyo's chatter would cheer her up.

******************

" She needs a dress."

Queen Yelan looked at Sakura, disdain clearly not hidden in her dark eyes. " I do not see the reason why the Kinomoto should have a dress. She will be part of the servants, will she not?"

Tomoyo was clenching her teeth hard and her fury was rolling off of her like waves. Sakura sat in a chair and looked down at her hands, embarrassed that Tomoyo was making such a big deal about it. She didn't even want to go to the ball! It was just one less day she didn't have to see Syaoran and Rita smooching over each other-

" She is a special guest of Prince Xiao-Lang's and should be treated like a guest, not a common servant! In actuality, she is being treated lower than a servant and why? Because of her bloodline!"

" Lady Tomoyo, I will ask you to gather hold of yourself and realize your surroundings. You are in a Li household and you are of Li blood-" Queen Yelan said slowly, her eyes flashing.

Eriol grabbed Tomoyo's arm and hugged her tightly, whispering a few calming words in her ear. Tomoyo's shoulders slumped and she sat on the bed, holding Eriol's hands like a life line. 

Eriol said quietly, " Your majesty, I think we should humour Lady Tomoyo here. Keili has done no harm, has she? Let her come to the ball, she is a special guest and we Li's should rise above Kinomotos and treat our guests with respect, despite blood lines."

Queen Yelan bit her lip and whirled around, her dress sweeping the floor. With a careless wave of her hand, she said tiredly, " Let the Kinomoto go where she wants. But the dress she will provide by herself. I will not let her come in rags, so Tomoyo, I will put you in charge of her clothing's and her-" She paused to give Sakura a dirty look that Sakura did not miss, " etiquette."

" Thank you, your majesty," Tomoyo said quietly as Queen Yelan exited the room. The tension in the room considerably lowered as Tomoyo went and picked up Taryk from the wooden cradle. Patting him on his back and slowly rocking him, she sighed and turned to Eriol.

" I just really wanted her to come. She isn't a bad person, Eriol! No one seems to believe that..." Tomoyo said softly and Eriol shushed her, running his fingers across her cheek.

" I believe it, Tomoyo. Syaoran believes it. That's all that matters," Eriol said softly and Tomoyo's eyes fluttered shut and a slight smile lifted the corners of her mouth.

Sakura smiled to herself as she watched the couple. Tomoyo always seemed to quiet down whenever Eriol touched her and they just radiated happiness. Tomoyo finally grew aware of her surroundings and turned to Sakura, smiling.

" Well, Keili, your coming!" Tomoyo said happily.

Sakura looked down with dark emerald eyes and shook her head, lifting up the woollen ragged dress she wore and Tomoyo's eyes darkened.

" Oh no you don't! Keili, don't go making excuses! You are coming and that's final! You saw how hard I worked for it!!" Tomoyo ordered, and Sakura smiled at her weakly. "I've got a dress for you to wear, anyways, come here!"

Sakura walked with Tomoyo, who looked inside her wardrobe and pulled out a beautiful dress. It was a peach colour, and the under dress was a cream colour and it looked to high and royal for Sakura to ever wear. It wasn't a fancy dress, it was quite casual but for Sakura, it was a big chance from the woollen dresses she wore most of the time. 

Tomoyo grinned. " I made it after you saved Taryk. I wanted to give you something, and I was saving it for mid-winter, but the ball is when you need it! Will you wear it for me?"

Sakura looked at Tomoyo with pained eyes. She couldn't take this dress! It would look horrible on her...maybe she should give it to Lady Rita. Lady Rita would make Tomoyo's dress look gorgeous. Sakura was too scrawny and too plain to wear such a beautiful dress.

" Keili, please. I made it for you. Please wear it?" Tomoyo asked, sensing the hesitancy in Sakura. Sakura breathed out and then smiled at Tomoyo, nodding. Tomoyo let out a little squeal.

" We can go in together, can't we Eriol?" Tomoyo asked happily.

Eriol grinned. " With two beautiful ladies by my side, I'll be the envy of the court!"

Tomoyo blushed and Sakura grinned as Tomoyo began to talk about the ball and what exactly would happen.

****************

  
Sakura sat in silence as Lady Rita surveyed her. She had nearly been thrown into a bath and she never felt more uncomfortable in her life, wearing only a bath robe. Lady Rita had kindly offered to help Sakura get ready, even though Sakura was not so useless at getting herself ready. 

" Well, you are not....glamorous, but you can pass," Lady Rita said, her voice like bells. " With just a hint of rouge and a bit of-" Here she picked up a lock of Sakura's drenched hair and wrinkled her nose prettily, " Well, some sort of hairstyle we can make out of your chopped locks."

Chopped, Sakura thought angrily. It's only short because I like it short! Chopped, indeed. 

Gritting her teeth as Lady Rita began to dry her hair with a towel and began to style it, she thought ahead for the ball. She had never actually thought that she would be going, she had rather been looking forward to some time alone, not in her room, but in the other places of the castle. The castle was a beautiful place-but with so many scornful Li's around, she couldn't go anywhere without being extra careful about her safety.

Even as Sakura thought this, she knew deep down the real reason she did not want to go to the ball. She didn't want to see Syaoran bend down and kiss Lady Rita's hand and lead her onto the dance floor, both of them gazing lovingly into each other's eyes as they swept around the castle. She didn't want that feeling to arise again, the feeling that her heart was being squashed, broken into pieces....

Sakura shook her head hard and Lady Rita made a sound of frustration. " Keili, please work with me! I know you are not of decent blood, but even Kinomoto peasants should know when to sit still! Well, maybe they don't. I heard Kinomoto peasants were of the brash sort, eating raw meat and running around half-naked and cursing innocent bystanders with curses." Lady Rita laughed innocently, not realizing the effect her words were having on Sakura. 

Sakura's eyes narrowed and her jaw clenched hard. More than anything, she wanted to leap up and yell at Lady Rita with as much insults as possible-yet she could do not such thing. She had not given up on her brothers just yet and would keep silent for them. 

Lady Rita then noticed the expression on Sakura's face and she spoke softly, " Oh I am so sorry, I didn't mean it that way! It's just that-well, I grew up hating Kinomotos, and this is all I heard about them. You do understand, do you not? I can imagine what horrid things you might've heard about us Li's as well."

Sakura calmed down at her words. Lady Rita was right, did Sakura not think that Li's were monsters? Horrid mutations who only lusted for blood? Feeling ashamed, she lowered her head a bit as silence stretched on. Lady Rita was a kind lady who didn't mean what she had said. No wonder Syaoran loved her so much....

Lady Rita was quiet for a moment before she started to talk again, her voice a bit harder this time. 

" I must admit, I have been thinking about this...bond...you and my fiancee share. It is quite talked about around the castle and I've been wondering if a bit of this Kinomoto curse might be the root of this bond?"

Sakura's fingers curled into fists and her fingernails dug into her palms as she fought to stay calm. What was Lady Rita saying??

" Of course you can't answer me, I am quite silly. I do not know the truth of these allegations so I cannot go accusing you, can I? I am quite sorry, please accept my apology. I'm just hoping that this bond will not go any farther than being a special guest."

Sakura froze and she turned around to face Lady Rita, who fixed her cerulean blue eyes on her. " Don't get me wrong, Keili. It's not everyday that the cold and mighty Prince Xiao-Lang brings home a peasant with the bloodline of the people he hates more than anything. It's not everyday that he sticks up for a scrawny girl with strange hobbies like making shirts out of starwort-yes, it's not everyday. I know that the way you stare at my fiancee isn't platonic. Now this is just a warning, I like you Keili, you are quite different from what I imagined Kinomotos to be-" She raised her hand to hold Sakura's but Sakura backed away. 

Shaking her head slowly, her eyes afire, Sakura turned around and grabbed the dress which was laying on the bed and stormed out of the room. She ignored Lady Rita's calls after her and ran down the stairs, the ribbons in her hair streaming behind her as she ran as far as she could from Lady Rita's hurtful words and the dreadful feeling that maybe beautiful, stunning Lay Rita was....right.

**********

Tomoyo burst into Sakura's room as the first sounds of the ball drifted through the castle. Laughter could be heard as Tomoyo opened the door, as well as the delightful chatter of the royal family, expensive wine and food were given freely.

" Keili-well, well, well!" Tomoyo said, smiling.

Sakura looked down at her dress. It was too nice of a dress for her to wear, fitting over her curves nicely, flowing down to the ground and whirling around her feet elegantly. Sakura had not a thing to put with the dress and could not do anything with her hair either, except to tie half of her hair in one of the ribbons that Lady Rita had put in her hair.

" You look so pretty, Keili!" Tomoyo exclaimed. Sakura flushed and then rose her gown. Her bare feet were revealed and she made a face to Tomoyo. Tomoyo laughed and produced a pair of satin slippers.

" Wear these. I came prepared!" Tomoyo said grinning. " This ball is going to be a lot of fun! It was three years ago at this very ball that I met Eriol....he was quite the mysterious charmer. I didn't like him at first-but I guess one thing lead to another..."

Sakura grinned and Tomoyo laughed. Tomoyo hooked arms with Sakura after Sakura put on the slippers and they walked out of the room and down the hallways. Sakura felt people stop in the hallways, taking double looks at the scrawny Kinomoto and Sakura kept her burning face to the floor. She wasn't beautiful in this dress or anything, the dress was a work dress for most of the royal people around here, but compared to what she looked like most of the time-yes, she would admit, it was quite a change. 

As they neared the entrance of the castle ballroom, a couple swept in and Sakura gasped. It was Syaoran and Lady Rita! Lady Rita was dressed in a breath taking gown, pure white with sparkling sequins and even a tiara on her head. She looked like a goddess but Sakura's eyes slid to the man beside her and she felt her face burning again. He was dressed in a red coat and black pants, but he still looked so handsome-

Sakura then realized that he was staring at her and their eyes locked. Tomoyo giggled softly beside her as Lady Rita tugged on Syaoran's arm, trying to get him to go into the ballroom, but it was like they were frozen in place, just watching each other.

Then Syaoran coughed and he said in a rather croaky voice, " You....You look nice, K-Keili."

Sakura gripped the edges of her skirt tightly and then her eyes widened as Lady Rita went on her tip toes and kissed Syaoran's cheek. Lady Rita smiled, a bit defiantly at Sakura and smiled widely.

" Yes, the Kinomoto peasant brushed up quite nicely! The party is waiting for us, Prince Xiao-Lang. Are you ready, my beloved fiancee?"

Sakura watched them enter the ballroom and her heart felt like it was being crushed to pieces, almost near the emotion she felt when the shirts were burned to a crisp in her room.

Tomorrow, she would get more starwort and finish those shirts. Then she would leave forever-and not have to feel like this everyday, watching Lady Rita take away the only person she had ever felt like this for. 

a/n: Yes, sorry I had to end it here! The ball is sort of a ritual thing before weddings, where the ladies and the gentleman of the court meet each other and they have sort of a courting thing. The wedding is coming up soon and the Duke is coming back soon! And will Sakura finish the shirts on time, now that the Duke burned half of what she had made??

Aight, ppl review! I make a llllooot of mistakes in this story, sometimes people call her Sakura, I think once Sakura made a sound, like she giggled or something, so I'm really sorry! lol, it's hard to show Sakura having emotion while being silent! lol, but if ya still like this story despite all my bad writing, please review and tell me, alright! And cheers to the people who caught those mistakes! lol, see ya latez,

'nuff luv,

~starjade~

__ ****


	14. A Sign

****

Misty Dreams

Card Captor Sakura

Chapter Fourteen

__

~starjade~

A Sign

Sakura wanted nothing more than to race back into her small haven, rip off the dress and the ribbons and change back into that woollen dress. She had never felt more uncomfortable in her life!

The minute she had walked into the ball (the announcer stating ' Lady Daidouji and The Kinomoto') She felt all eyes on her and even though, many were holding it back, the disdain was clear in the atmosphere.

Right then, she was sitting on the white clothed table that surrounded the dance floor. It was decorated quite beautifully with Queen Yelan and Prince Syaoran with all his sisters sitting at the front. Many times, she saw groups coming up to the Queen and complaining about Sakura, but Syaoran would always be the one to dismiss them.

Sakura noticed how cold Syaoran got when he sat on that chair. All royal and prince-like, his amber eyes turned glassy, like shards of ice and his voice was a bark that made everyone creep back, intimidated.

" Isn't this fun, Keili?" Tomoyo asked, excitedly. 

Sakura resisted the urge to say a sarcastic comment, reminding herself of her vow of silence. No matter what, she was still undergoing the curse-and she would never give up on saving her brothers.

The food came, and Sakura noticed how even the servants hated her, deliberately forgetting to give her food until Tomoyo would remind them, where they would hastily throw the food on her plate. Sakura ignored this, reminding herself that this was a Li Kingdom; they were showing enough kindness to their enemy.

Suddenly, the orchestra strung up and the gentleman of the court stood up. The atmosphere of the ball seemed to grow alive and the chatter of the ladies and royals of the court grew. Sakura watched interestedly, for there was no such custom in her kingdom.

As the music played, the gentleman formed a large circle, facing outwards. They each held a different coloured handkerchief in their hands and they all bowed at the same time. Sakura smiled as they began to dance while remaining in the circle.

The ladies around her were gossiping openly about the gentleman, and nearly all of them had already had their eyes on a specific gentleman. Then the music stopped and a slower tune strung up and the gentleman started to head towards the ladies they wanted to dance with. The handkerchief was offered and if accepted, they would dance. If the handkerchief was kept to the end of the night, they were announced betrothed.

As couples began to dance on the dance floor, Sakura's eyes searched the people dancing, hoping to see a particular person and desperately hoping he wasn't there. But as always, the couples began to hush as Syaoran Li walked to the middle of the ball and bent down in front of Lady Rita. 

He held out her handkerchief to her and she accepted it as he kissed her hand. They began to dance, their movements graceful and royal. All the woman began to sigh at the romance of it and Sakura felt her chest clench tight and she couldn't breathe.

Trying desperately to wrench her eyes away from the happy couple, she nearly welcomed with joy Tomoyo and Eriol, who came back from a dance.

" How are you doing, Lady Keili?" Eriol asked. Sakura wondered why Eriol insisted on calling her a lady even though everyone thought she was a peasant. He was quite the gentleman!

Sakura smiled, a bit forcedly and Tomoyo said cheerfully, " This is a beautiful ball, isn't it? The food is great and everyone is so happy!"

A bit of an overstatement, Sakura thought a bit sarcastically, but smiled all the same. Right then, Yamaki came up to them and walked straight to Sakura.

" Keili, would you like to dance?" He asked.

Sakura instantly shook her head but Tomoyo nudged her. " Come on, Keili, you haven't danced all night! Have a little bit of fun, won't you?"

Sakura's shoulders drooped and she accepted Yamaki's hand. He led her out onto the dance floor and put his hand on her hip.

" You just have to follow my steps and when I tell you to turn, just turn to the right-" Yamaki began to explain but Sakura shook her head. Yamaki stared at her incredulously.

" You know the dance?" Yamaki asked. Sakura nodded and Yamaki looked surprised.

" But this is a royal dance, usually only the people of the court know this dance," Yamaki said wonderingly as he took Sakura's hand and they began to dance. Sakura felt herself relax with the soft sounds of the music playing and the dance released the tension in her body as she let herself go and whirled around the dance floor, with a rather shocked Yamaki.

" You know how to dance well!" Yamaki said, wonderingly and Sakura smiled at him. Yamaki grinned.

" I swear, I'm going to have to put locks on that door of yours!" Yamaki said winningly. " The way you dance and smile, I'll have to beat the men away from you with a stick!"

" May I cut in." A cold voice interrupted him. Sakura felt her heart freeze and her breath catch in her throat. 

Yamaki looked up and met Syaoran's amber eyes. " Oh hey, Xiao-Lang! I saw you and Lady Rita over there, man, you guys just can't wait for that wedding night, eh-"

" I asked you if I could cut in."

Yamaki looked confused and backed off. " Alright..." 

Sakura couldn't look up. She kept her eyes on the floor as Syaoran moved to take Yamaki's spot. As long as she didn't look at him, she wouldn't do anything foolish and would keep her head level instead of losing herself in his eyes as she always did when she looked at him.

Don't look up...

He reached out and took her hand and her knees nearly gave away at his touch. Remember to breathe, she reminded herself as she felt the touch race through her body. 

Don't look up...

His other hand grasped her hip and pulled her close to him and she felt her heart flutter and beat hard against her chest and she couldn't think, she couldn't breathe, all she felt was his touch-

Don't look up.

Softly, they began to dance, around the dance floor gracefully. They followed each other's moves perfectly and even though she knew it mustn't look like the perfect couple or the picture perfect dance-but this was happening for real. He was dancing with her-and she was trying to make this moment last.

" That witch..."

Sakura tensed as the words cut through her happiness, as the animosity in the room grew higher.

" She's just a whore."

" Trying to seduce the prince!"

" Filthy Kinomoto-"

She felt Syaoran tense and his jaw clench as he pulled her closer as if trying to protect her from the harsh words being directed towards her. In her shock, she looked up and their eyes met.

__

Dammit...she thought faintly, as she felt her body temperature increase. Heat flooded through her body and she felt dizzy but all she could do was stare into those eyes, which made her heart beat, hard against her chest until it was almost painful. His eyes searched hers as if looking for something and his grasp on her grew tighter and tighter...

Until he let her go, wrenching away from her without a goodbye or a farewell. He walked off fast, and almost immediately, Lady Rita cut off his pathway and grabbed his hands. After a moment of hesitation, they began to dance-

And Sakura's heart began to shatter. It was too much for her to stay, to watch him dance with Lady Rita, watch him leave her-

She turned away and ran, straight out the door, ignoring the taunts and insults and pushing past the people who tried to block her way. She ran into the empty hallways and down the stairs, down the moonlit corridors and into her small room where she slammed the door shut. She ripped the ribbons from her hair and wrenched off the dress, pulling on the scratchy woollen dress and then collapsed onto her bed in tears.

Shoulders shaking, she tried to wipe the tears off her face, but it didn't work. She wanted to cry, like she used to, scream out the agony that went through her heart-but she couldn't. Instead, she kept her pain bottled up and only let the tears run down her cheeks and drop quietly off the edge of her face. 

Finally, she got up and wiped the tears off her face, walking out the door. She wrapped her arms around herself, shivering as the cold breeze made its way down the corridor, and the moonlight shown through the windows, lighting her path.

And that's when she heard it.

A quiet whimper, too canine to be human coming from around the corner. Sakura froze; her whole body stopped functioning as her heart beat halted. Then the whimper came again and Sakura felt her heart begin to pound against her chest.

What was that?

Walking forward, she turned the corner slowly and then gasped.

It was Kero.

Kero was curled in a ball near the corner and he got up quickly when he smelt her coming, barking and growling at her even though he had never done so before. She tried to come near him, but he wouldn't let her. 

She wondered what was wrong with Kero. What was making him act like this? She turned around and walked back to the kitchens, sneaking into to grab a piece of meat. She ran out and ran straight back to the dog.

The dog had once again, curled up in that feral position. Sakura carefully knelt down and offered the piece of meat to the dog. The dog came slowly, growling at the base of his throat as he did so. And when he came into the moonlight, was when Sakura saw.

On Kero's back, shaven clear and prominent, was the famed sign to ward off witches.

With a gasp, Sakura fell back, horrified. The dog grabbed the meat and leapt away from her but Sakura could only stare at the dog in shock.

How could...how could they do this to Kero? How could they punish him...just to warn her? Sakura had seen that sign many times before, on the steps of houses and in places of worship, large signs to ward off witches. 

But this was just cruel! It was sick....She couldn't take it and angry tears gathered in her eyes. This went too far. It didn't matter what they said to her or what they did to her. But what they did to Kero..

Cautiously, Sakura went closer to the dog and began to talk to him, soothingly and calmingly. The dog calmed down and she held out the other piece of meat she had in her pocket and led him back to her room. She made a bed for him out of one of her old dresses and the dog fell asleep, leaving Sakura alone in the silence of her room, crying herself to sleep as she had done so, so many times before.

*********************

" Keili!! Open the door right now!! Please!" 

Sakura wringed her hands together as she tried to concentrate on her stitching. Tomoyo, Eriol and Yamaki tried to get her to open the door and come out many times, but she couldn't. Not after what the Li people had done to Kero.

Breathing hard, she tried to go back to her stitching when Tomoyo pleaded once more.

" Keili, please tell me what's wrong. What happened? Please, open the door!!"

Sakura's fingers clenched around the needle and she fought to control her breathing. She wished she could say something to Tomoyo, tell her that she was all right and that all she needed was...some time.

Then, a loud rapping at the door came, harsh and loud.

" Keili. Open the door right now."

It was Syaoran's voice. Sakura paused, her heart beating hard against her chest. But then, common sense rose above all her conflicting emotions. He was the Prince after all...and he did order a command. Sighing, she got up and opened the door a creak.

Syaoran's amber eyes were glaring at her. " Keili, what's wrong? You're worrying Tomoyo and Eriol beyond belief! What are you doing cooped up in here?"

Sakura bowed her head, willing herself to keep the flush away from her face. Clenching her fists, she looked up at Syaoran and attempted to smile.

__

I'm okay. Bye. 

She tried to close the door once more, but Syaoran held a hand out. " Something is bothering you, Keili and I want to know what it is!"

He pushed the door open all the way and stomped inside her room. He took a quick survey of her room before turning back to her. 

" Now tell me. What's wrong?"

Sakura looked down and shook her head. _Nothing..._

Syaoran growled. " Keili, you wouldn't refuse to come out if nothing was wrong...Did.... Did someone do something to you? Say something to you?"

Sakura kept her eyes on the floor and Syaoran reached out and put two fingers under her chin, lifting her face up so her eyes met his. Sakura felt heat rush through her body at his touch and willed herself to stay calm under his smouldering gaze.

He looked at her carefully and repeated, " Did someone do something to you? Because in all hells, if something happened, I will make sure that person is punished, thoroughly." 

Sakura wrenched away from his hold and turned her back on him. The more she looked at him, the more she felt herself drowning.... deeper and deeper. She sat on the bed and tried to grin at him. _No one. I'm okay. You worried no reason._

" I do have a good reason!" He knelt down in front of her. " Something happened...and I want to know what it is. I command you right now to tell me what's wrong."

Sakura froze, and she bit her lip. He was a prince...and she had to tell him...

Breathing hard, she got up and grabbed his wrist, leading him around the room to where Kero was tucked in the small bed she had made for him.

" What's going on-" He began to say but then he fell short when he saw Kero.

Kero had woken up instantly and was growling deep in his throat at Syaoran. His haunches raised, he glared at Syaoran fiercely, but Syaoran had already seen the sign shaven on the back of Kero. 

There was dead silence between them as Sakura knelt down and stroked Kero's uneven fur, hoping to calm him down. Syaoran was keeping his eyes to the floor and Sakura could tell he was angry. His bangs hid his expression, but his jaw was clenching tightly and the muscles in his face were jumping as he fought to control his anger.

" When..." He began, his voice shaking. "When did this happen? Where did you find him?"

Sakura looked down. _Hallway. Yesterday night. You dance. _

Syaoran didn't say anything for a moment and then he let out an angry yell and punched her dresser straight through. Splinters cracked and dust clouded the air as Syaoran's fist broke through the wood of the dresser. Sakura gasped her eyes wide. His knuckles were now bloody and ragged but it didn't look like he noticed, for he was pacing up and down her room.

" Those bastards, when I find out who did this, I will kill them.... dammit, I can't fucking believe that I left her here alone, with no protection, hell, if they could do this to Kero, what the hell would they do to her, I am so fucking stupid!!" He shouted, his anger clear in his words. 

Sakura got up slowly, and walked up to Syaoran cautiously. She grabbed his arm and turned him to look at her. _It's okay. It's okay._

" NO!" Syaoran yelled. " It's not okay!!! You know what could've happened to you?? Hell, I knew that people hated you here, I knew that people wanted to kill you, but I never thought-I never knew-You should've came straight to me, why didn't you??"

His burning amber eyes stared imploringly at her and Sakura shrugged her shoulders simply. _You with Lady Rita. No disturb._

Syaoran halted at her motions for a second, before he let out another angry yell. " I should've been here....I should've been able to protect you...God, imagine what they could've done to you!"

Suddenly, he turned around and hugged her. Sakura froze as he pulled her against him and buried his face in her hair. " Thank god you're okay.." He whispered in her hair. 

Sakura felt the heat travel to her heart and she felt light-headed. He was hugging her! He cared about her! Cautiously, she rose her hands to hug him back, to hold him, to stroke his hair and kiss him-

But he had already pulled away, his face red. " S-sorry, Keili-I just-" He breathed hard and then turned away, running a hand through his hair before spotting the dresser. " I'll....get someone to replace the dresser and-" He turned back to Sakura and looked at her meaningfully. " Stay here, all right? I'll be back..."

He turned and walked out the door, his footsteps hard against the floor. Sakura watched after him, her body missing the warmth and wishing.....Wishing that he would just hold her again, hold her tight. And help her forget her tears...and maybe she could help him forget his worries.

But she knew the only person who was able-and who had the right to do that was Lady Rita. She would always be second to Lady Rita.

a/n: Hahahahaha! He hugged her! hahahahaa. lol, I felt really really bad when I was writin dat part about Kero the dog. I really hate animal cruelty too...*shakes fist* So frickin mindless..

.  
But yah, please tell me if ya lyke dis story, if ya have any suggestions, comments, or opinions please review aight? And sry I couldn't get dis chapter out as fast, I wrote dis whole chapter out and then the computer froze up on me and i forgot to save it. so i had to write it all up again! and wit all dem exams i have to study for...

lol, but thanks for stickin by dis story!

see ya latez,

'nuff luv,

__

~starjade~


	15. A Brother

****

Misty Dreams

Card Captor Sakura

Chapter Fifteen

__

~starjade~

A Brother

In the morning, Yamaki brought her to the starwort patch to get more starwort. Sakura was oddly disappointed that Syaoran hadn't come with her....hadn't come to '_protect' _her as he said he would.

She was quite capable of protecting herself....but the way he said it, the way his amber eyes shined with a dangerous quality....she thought that maybe his words were sincere....

Shaking her head softly, Sakura made her way into the dining room where the Li family gathered together to eat dinner. It was a long table, with the Queen sitting at the head of it. Sakura was usually sitting at the end with Tomoyo, Eriol or Yamaki. Besides Syaoran, those were the only three that actually talked to her in the Li castle. 

It got lonely...especially when she would remember the day in the Kingdom. The villages and the forest were her favourite places to play. Everyone loved her, for she was a cheerful girl, chattering out stories and tales and helping out in any way possible. 

Before her mother's death, it was her happiest memories. And when she was undergoing all the harsh treatment she had to bear in the Li Kingdom, she thought back to those times. Her mother's bright eyes, laughing smile and the way she always picked Sakura up and whirled her high in the air so she felt as if she was flying.

Recalling those memories, she sat down next to Tomoyo who smiled at her gently. Sakura smiled back as the chatter around the table grew.

As the food came in, Sakura tried to meet Syaoran's eyes, where he sat at the opposite end of the table. He was too engrossed in his conversation to look at her and she lowered her eyes dejected until Eriol offered her a plate of food.

She gasped hard.

Her eyes flying wide open, she stared at the food on a platter in the middle of the table. Dressed nicely, surrounded by vegetables and an enticing aroma surrounding the atmosphere, she felt bile rise to her throat fast.

It was a _swan_.

" Keili? Here's your plate!" Eriol said, a bit concerned at her expression.

Sakura couldn't take it. Horror was flooding through her veins and images rushed through her head. One of her brothers, who knew which one, killed and dressed up sitting in the middle of the table. Her eyes searched the people of the table, some who were looking her way at the expression on her face. People were eating....eating the swan!!

" Keili?" Eriol asked, still holding out the plate of food. Sakura leapt up, her chair slamming on the ground as she flung the plate out of Eriol's grasp. Everyone gasped, as the plate landed on the floor and shattered.

They all stared at her in shock and tears rose to her eyes as she looked at the swan. _Please let it not be one of them, _she thought hysterically. _Not one of my brothers!!_

She turned on her heel and ran out of the dining hall, running fast to the pond where she had gone when she had delivered Tomoyo's baby. Bending over the shrubs, she emptied her guts, she gagged and heaved until she could not anymore, where then she collapsed on the bank.

Her body shook and she took deep breaths, staring out at the calmness of the river, the water moving in ripples, reflecting the shining moon. 

A swan.....a swan, all dressed and cooked-her brothers, changed into swans-She closed her eyes and clasped her hands together, praying to whoever could help her-_let it not be my brother, let it not be any of my brothers._

She opened her eyes-and then her mouth dropped open in shock.

There in front of her, floating on the river was a swan. Not cooked, but alive, pure and white, it's eyes watching her with bright intelligence.

Sakura scrambled away, her heart beating hard. No, this was just another swan, it couldn't be her brother! But what if they killed this swan? 

Please leave, she thought in her head. Please leave, please fly away to freedom before they-

" Sakura?"

Sakura's eyes jolted open and widened. Her heart clenching, she saw...she saw Yukito, watching her, his clothes ragged and his hair long and flowing for it had been a long time since they had been cursed on that fateful day by Oribia.

" Sakura, is that you?"

Her eyes began to water. No it couldn't be Yukito! It couldn't be! _Yukito? _She thought.

Yukito titled his head. " You didn't say anything...but I can hear you clearly. You said my name."

Sakura's eyes widened. He could hear her thoughts...like her mother could. He had come across the sea , for her-

Tears rushed past her eyes and she abandoned all suspicion and ran to her brother, wrapping her arms around his waist tightly and burying her face in his chest. _Yukito...Yukito, oh god, I missed you so much_!

" I missed you too, little one. What are you doing here-" His jaw clenched and his eyes hardened. " At the Li Kingdom, of all places? They aren't holding you prisoner, are they?"

Sakura couldn't think, so overwhelmed by happiness. Her brother-here, in the flesh. _No-No, they aren't holding me prisoner. I am safest here, in my enemies kingdom-even though they show that they dislike me, nothing has happened to me...yet._

Yukito's fists were clenching. " What have they done to you, Sakura? They have done something, I can see it in your eyes. What happened? How did you come here? I had to search long and far for you."

__

It's nothing, dear brother. Where-where are the rest? Sakura asked, fear tickling down her spine. If Yukito was here and so were the rest of her brothers, than that swan, cooked on the table could be-

" No, they are back in the Kinomoto kingdom. When we turned to humans, two months back, we found out you were not in the Kinomoto land anymore. Since I am the only one of us who still retains my senses in my swan form....I looked for you and found you here." Yukito said.

Sakura looked at him and her shoulders drooped with relief. The swan wasn't her brother....thank god. 

" But Sakura, what are you doing here? This isn't safe! You should've sought a farm, or a kindly neighbour-why the Li Kingdom? They could kill you at any second! They're monsters, the Li people and you are here?? Of all places?" Yukito asked incredulously.

Sakura hung her head. _It's not bad, Yukito. Please, I know what I'm doing. I wish-I wish the others were here. We could be a family-once more._

Yukito hugged her tightly, and rested his chin on her head. Sakura buried her face in his chest, letting tears of homesickness fall from her eyes as she held onto her brother for dear life. She missed home so much. She missed her father-her brothers-her kingdom-she missed being loved, being cared for, being protected-

__

Yukito, don't leave again, Sakura thought foolishly. _Please stay._

Yukito moved back form her to look into her eyes. " Sakura, you know that can't happen. I am a human only for tonight. Are the shirts done yet?"

Sakura shifted her eyes from his, shamefully. _No...It might take me longer....than I previously hoped for._

Yukito's eyes shined with worry. " If you do not hurry however.....things are bad, Sakura. We can't survive as swans for much longer." Unbidden, the image of the cooked swan came to mind and Sakura held back a sob. " You do not have to worry about saving us. But if you still....are up to it, call for me once. You can call for us, all of us only once and we will come. Only when you have all the shirts ready."

Sakura nodded determinedly and Yukito held her hand tightly. " Sakura-"

" Keili? Keili, where are you?"

Sakura paled. Y_ukito, you have to get out of here! The prince is coming!_

" The prince?" Yukito asked, his eyes flashing. " What-who-how do you-"

__

Go! Sakura yelled in her head and Yukito backed away, stumbling.

" Sakura, you have to explain. I'll come back, two months from now. Take care of yourself, Sakura. We love you."

__

I love you too, brothers, Sakura thought in her head sadly as crashes came over the hill behind the river as Yukito disappeared in the forest. 

" Who was that?"

The words hit her hard like arrows and Sakura turned around, fearfully. Syaoran was breathing hard, his sword drawn and his eyes icy as he stared at the place where Yukito had blended into the forest. 

" Who was he?" Syaoran asked, his tone dangerous and cold.

Sakura gulped. What could she say? Eriol was right behind Syaoran, but thankfully it was only those two.

" What was up at dinner, Keili? What happened?" Eriol was asking and then he noticed Syaoran's stature and his anger. " What's up with you, Xiao-Lang?"

" Who. Was. He?" Syaoran enunciated, his words threaded with fury.

Sakura shook. She couldn't say it was her brother...they'd realize that she was a royal Kinomoto and then they would have a real reason to kill her or hold her for ransom! But what could she say?

__

No one, Sakura motioned. _I don't know you talk about._

Syaoran's eyes flitted to the edge of the forest where Yamazaki had disappeared and his eyes were like shards of glass. " Keili, don't lie to me. There was a man here. And you two..." His jaw moved but no sound came out and he coughed. " You-you looked pretty close. Was he...was he a suitor?"

Sakura gaped at Syaoran. What was he saying? Sakura quickly shook her head and Syaoran's shoulders visibly relaxed.

Eriol was watching the two of them with wide eyes. " Why would you think-what is happening here?"

" I don't know," Syaoran breathed out, running a hand through his hair. " I really-I don't know what got into me, I just felt all this anger when I saw-when I thought I saw a man-hugging Keili-" He clenched his jaw and then turned around quickly. " Never mind."

Eriol had a little knowing smirk on his face as he grinned at Syaoran. " Oh, I know what you're talking about."

Syaoran glared at Eriol and Eriol shrugged innocently. Sakura looked between them, not exactly getting what was going on, but relieved that her brother had gotten away.

__

Yamazaki....please come back....she thought in her mind as she looked back towards the forest. _I miss you.._

A hand suddenly came out and touched her elbow. " Keili, let me walk you to you're room. It's gotten pretty late."

Sakura turned and looked to Syaoran, who was watching her worriedly. Sakura nodded and followed the two men back to the castle. Eriol said his farewells as Syaoran and Sakura walked through the garden to the entrance of her room.

Sakura turned to smile at Syaoran and saw Syaoran watching the sky, his eyes on the crescent moon.

Sakura touched his shoulder to alert him and he jerked. " Oh Keili-sorry. I was just...lost in thought."

Sakura made a questioning expression and Syaoran looked down. " I was just wondering about my life. I've grown up to be a prince, a warrior. I'm supposed to be marrying Lady Rita. Yet sometimes I feel that......that maybe there's someone else out there for me. Someone that I'd never expect."

He looked to her and she nodded at him, understanding. He let out his breath. " I know I shouldn't feel that way. I'm the prince. I should be protecting my kingdom at all costs. Yet when the time comes, I can never protect my Kingdom. I let Meiling run away and get captured. I rejected all the princesses from other Kingdoms and made a few number of enemies because of that. And-"

__

Me, Sakura motioned. _You brought me._

Syaoran turned to look at her. " I don't regret that. Ever. I will never regret bringing you here. You weren't safe out there, Keili. I don't exactly know why I still keep you here and I don't let you out and I feel the need to protect you and be with you and never let anyone else touch you-" He stopped and lowered his head quickly. " Forgive me. I speak too much."

Sakura wads feeling her heart lower quickly. It was because of her mother's spell he felt this way. Sakura had burdened him with so much....she reached out and touched his cheek with her swollen fingers.

He jerked and looked at her with surprised eyes and she smiled at him. _No. You right. _

Syaoran looked at her as if an internal battle was raging inside of him before one of his hands came up, shaking to rest over her hand that was placed over his cheek. Sakura had to bite her lip at the contact as she felt his touch race through her body like a wave.

" Thank-Thank you, Keili," He said softly.

Sakura felt her breath catch in her throat at his words and she felt her heart pang against her chest painfully. Did he....did he mean it?

The expression in his eyes was frightening. His amber eyes had darkened until it was smoky and she wanted to touch him, wanted to feel him but if she did-if she let this go on-she took her hand away and Syaoran started, confused.

Sakura curtsied, awkwardly before rushing inside her room and slamming the door shut behind her. Slowly, she slid to the ground, cursing her heart. This wasn't the way it was supposed to happen. Hell...this wasn't supposed to happen at all.

***************

Tears burned her eyes as she sewed up two patches of starwort together. The needles pierced her already badly swollen hands and she choked down the bile that rose to her throat and held back the sob that wanted to explode out of her.

Breathing hard and ignoring the glares and murmurs of the ladies around her as they observed her strange habits, she heard a whisper coming from the pillar behind her and she turned around quickly.

It was Tomoyo. 

" Keili, come here!" She whispered. Sakura got up and went around the pillar. Tomoyo took her arm, her other carrying Taryk in a little basket , and led her outside, onto a large hill where she settled down with a sigh. 

" I love the breeze!" Tomoyo sighed, spreading her arms out wide as she set Taryk down. Sakura grinned widely at her and Tomoyo laughed. " I thought you'd want to get away from those ladies of the court. Horrible women, aren't they?"

Sakura nodded, solemnly and then cracked a grin. Tomoyo smiled with her as they settled onto the grass, Tomoyo making little children's sweaters and Sakura, forcing herself to do the painful task that she needed to complete for her brother's lives.

" Keili, really, you got to stop doing that!" Tomoyo said concernedly, grabbing Sakura's swollen, purpled hand. Sakura wrenched her hand away and shook her head.

Tomoyo sighed. " One day, I really want to know why you're torturing yourself like this."

Sakura smiled at her, thankful for her kindness. She'd really miss Tomoyo when she went back to the Kinomoto Kingdom....Tomoyo was one of the very few kind people in the Li Kingdom. 

Suddenly, they heard cries coming from behind them and Tomoyo paled. " You can't let them see us, it's unseemly for woman to go outside on the hills," Tomoyo hissed and dragged Sakura behind the bushes. Sakura followed her and they peeked out of the bushes, waiting for the person who had stormed up the hill to go away.

It was Syaoran.

Sakura's eyes widened. Syaoran was pacing back and froth, his chestnut hair blowing back in the wind, his amber eyes furious. 

" Xiao-Lang? Xiao-Lang, what's wrong?"

Sakura tensed at the soft voice. It sounded like Lady Rita. Sure enough, Lady Rita came walking up the hill, holding her skirt in a white gloved hand, her blue eyes wide with concern. 

" Xiao-Lang?" She asked, her voice musical.

" Look, Rita. I-I can't just do this anymore, you know how hard this is for me!" Syaoran said in a shaking voice, anger prominent in his tone. " You keep on forcing more and more on me, you know I didn't want to marry you, yet you continue to act as if we are lovers!"

Sakura felt her eyes widen her and her heart lighten. They weren't lovers? This was news to her.

Lady Rita's eyes filled up with crystal tears. " Oh, Xiao-Lang. You know how much I love you-"

" Yes, I know! I KNOW! And I'm sorry! This just-I can't-it's so hard-" Syaoran stumbled, running a hand through his hair, a frustrated growl erupting from him.

Lady Rita's expression hardened and a dangerous glint shone in her cerulean eyes. " It's that Kinomoto peasant, isn't it?"

Sakura jerked at the mention of her and she felt Tomoyo tense beside her. Syaoran's eyes were wide. " What?"

" It's that filthy girl! You like her, even though I can't possibly fathom why!" Lady Rita cried, tears falling down her rosy cheeks.

For some reason, Syaoran flushed deep red.

" Wh-What? Of course not! I do not like her in the slightest, she is a Kinomoto an-an-and you heard I hate Kinomotos, I am only repaying a debt! She saved my life and that is it! If she hadn't, I would've left her to die on the cliffs in the Kinomoto land! She-" 

He was rambling but Sakura had heard enough. Her heart felt like it had been crushed into a million pieces and tears rose to her eyes. And at that exact moment, Taryk let out a wail of outrage.

Syaoran halted in his rant, and Tomoyo grabbed Taryk from the carriage and stood up. Syaoran and Lady Rita gasped. 

" Tomoyo? How long have you been there?" Syaoran asked, his eyes wide with shock. 

That was when Sakura decided to stand up as well, getting up slowly, keeping her eyes on the ground. She could feel the shock coming from Syaoran and the slight triumph from Lady Rita. Slowly, she looked up and her tear filled eyes met his guilty amber ones.

He hated her...and yet was forced to protect her. Her heart was broken, her soul paralysed. 

__

'...left her to die on the cliffs....'

a/n: Aw shit, that really sucks. How's Syaoran gonna get outta this one? And what's Sakura gonna do? And about Yamazaki? He made his entrance, what about dem other five brothers she has? And the duke and Lady Rita ain't outta the picture yet! 

aight ppl, thank you sooo much for the supportive reviews ya'll been givin me, seriously, ya don't know how much ya'll have been helpin me! I've been goin through some bad shyt lately, so it's really nice to hear ya comments, so thank ya'll and keep reviewing, aight?

see ya latez and 'nuff luv,

__

~starjade~


	16. A Rumour

****

Misty Dreams

Card Captor Sakura

Chapter Fourteen

__

~starjade~

A Rumour

" K-Keili-" Syaoran started to say but Sakura didn't want to hear his excuses. She just nodded to him and turned away, walking fast back to the castle. 

" Keili, wait!" Tomoyo shouted after her.

" Keili!!" Syaoran shouted.

Lady Rita said nothing as Sakura walked faster, contemplating the ever-tempting idea of breaking into a run and locking herself into her room, once more, with her starwort patches. She'd finish, break Syaoran's curse as well as her brother's and get out of this forsaken country and then beat Oribia-

" Keili!" Syaoran had caught up to her already and grabbed her wrist. Sakura froze and turned around. 

She smiled at him, even though her heart wasn't in it and shook her head slowly, twisting her wrist out of her grip. His amber eyes were on hers and his mouth was working, trying to find something to say but Sakura knew what it would be. 

She looked at him hard, and then shook her head slowly. _No. No explaining. I understand._

His expression grew pained and he said in a choked voice, " Keili-"

Sakura didn't want to hear it. She didn't want to see Lady Rita's expression, or see Syaoran try to make up for the words he had said about her. She just wanted to save her brothers...

She knew the truth anyways. Feelings for the enemy never worked out. It was impossible, a near dream that would always be a dream. It was just another thing she had to sacrifice, along with her voice and her homeland and her brothers and her father. Just another thing..

**********

The Duke was back. Grinning widely as he sat at the dinner table, he kept his eyes trained on Sakura as she walked in, amusement clear on his face. His eyes lingered where they shouldn't have been lingering and even paused at her hands, the swollen flesh clear and prominent, and his grin turned even wider.

Sakura felt hatred for the man grow in her chest and she shook her head. Her mother taught her that hate was a vile thing-no matter how vile the person was or what sort of things they did, everyone had a good side.

The Duke's good side was just really microscopic.

Sitting down as far as possible from Duke and even farther from Syaoran, she picked up her glass and drank thirstily, waiting for the food to arrive. It soon did and everyone began to eat, the Duke's eyes still on her.

Why did he hate her so much? She may be a Kinomoto, but she hadn't done anything that was offensive to the Duke. She wished he would just leave her alone....and stop watching her.

Yamaki elbowed her. " Keili, I think Syaoran really wants to talk to you."

Sakura turned to him and rose an eyebrow, questioning. Then she saw Syaoran's face, and he was trying to mouth something, but she turned around quickly, ignoring him.

__

" left her to die on the cliffs..."

His words hadn't stopped assaulting her. Turning her face back to her salad, she tried to force herself to calm down. But like always, that would never happen. The Duke had stood up, tapping his glass.

Everyone quieted and Yamaki snorted softly. " I wonder what story he has of some heroic moment of him killing twenty Kinomotos. This should be interesting."

" I would like to some information with you all that I heard in the Kinomoto lands. Fellow Li's-" He started and then he made a face. " Of course, not all of us are Li's. One among us does belong to that filthy country, so we must include her-"

" She doesn't count," One woman said snidely. " We don't have to pay any attention to ugly Kinomoto whores, do we?"

There were snickers and gasps and Sakura's face burned as everyone around the table turned and stared at her. Yamaki growled under his breath but suddenly there was a tinkling of glass breaking.

" Sorry," A cold voice cut out and Sakura's eyes widened. Syaoran's hand was bleeding! Water had spilled over his pants and Lady Rita cried with horror, grabbing a napkin and holding it to his bleeding hand.

" What in the world made you hold your glass so tightly it should break?" Lady Rita cried. " My poor baby!"

Syaoran's amber eyes glared at the woman who had made the snide comment and growled, deep in his throat, " If I hear such profanity and utter disrespect from you again, you will be punished."

The woman's eyes grew wide and someone muttered, " The Kinomoto's sorcery."

Sakura's fingers dug into her palms and she kept her eyes on the table. _This wasn't good._

The Duke's eyes were alight with sick humour and he grinned widely. " I never knew such words would bring such a....strong reaction from the Prince of the Li Kingdom. Only magic could ever make a Li turn his back on his own people for a Kinomoto."

More whispers and hushed talking sprouted among the people of the table and Sakura shrunk into herself at all the glares and dirty looks she was receiving. A shudder went down her spine and she knew, these people probably wouldn't hesitate to kill her. After what they had done to Kero...

" Anyways, in-spite of this quite interesting drama, a new rumour has aroused in the Kinomoto Kingdom. And of course, it has to do with our own, Li Meiling."

There was silence after his words and suddenly, the Queen and Syaoran leapt to their feet. " What did you hear, Duke?" Yelan cried.

" Tell us everything," Syaoran enunciated dangerously.

The Duke was grinning with amusement. " Please sit down. I am telling the rumour I heard. Of course it is just a rumour....you never know if it is true." He got up and began to walk around the table, his fingers pressing together in a small tepee. 

" I was just sitting down for a little break, my usual ale and bread and the wench who was serving it to me told me about this...interesting rumour. The royal Kinomoto family had indeed....caught Li Meiling."

" What?" Yelan cried, her hand fluttering to her chest. 

Syaoran banged his fist against the table. " Get to the point, Duke!"

" The point....oh yes, the point. Well, she had been long since released, but there was a period of time she was captured by the royal family. And many sources, inside the Kinomoto castle as well as outside, had realized that the Li soldier captured, was indeed a woman. Someone who....could have leaked a bit of information about our Kingdom."

" What?" Syaoran whispered but the Duke wasn't finished.

" Someone who could've broken under simple torture and spilled every single secret of the Li movement. She is a woman and women are the weaker of sexes. She could very well be a traitor to our kind. Meiling Li.....traitor."

His simple words caused an uproar. Yelan screamed, " NO!" and the people seated at the table cried with shock and surprise.

Syaoran shouted, " NO! Meiling would never have spilled ANY of our secrets!"

But to the surprise of all the Li people, Sakura had also leapt to her feet, anger racing through her blood. She waved her hands in fury; her green eyes alight with rage. _No! Meiling not a traitor!_

The Duke slowly turned to face her, his blood red eyes bright. " The Kinomoto. Standing up for Li Meiling. Yet....how can she even know her? How does this Kinomoto peasant, whose knowledge probably consists of all the barbaric ways she can please a man....how can she know anything of our royal family?"

Syaoran let out a growl. " Duke, I'm warning you-"

The Duke held up a hand. " Ah-wait for one minute, dear Prince. Imagine....imagine Meiling was a traitor. She spilled every secret of ours into the enemy hands. This would accomplish...what? It would've set plans in motion in the Kinomoto Kingdom. Maybe....predicting our battle movements and effectively halting it? Or maybe something more devious, as that is the Kinomoto fashion. Sending maybe a spy....infiltrate our Kingdom....find out our secrets...."

Sakura could feel chills race up and down her skin and the Duke stood right in front of her, his eyes watching her. One hand gripped her wrist hard, his fingers pressing hard into her skin and Sakura fought the urge to whimper. His other hand came up and he lazily trailed his fingers up her arm. 

" Of course, that would never happen to us. No Kinomoto could set feet in our Kingdom....but hey. There is one Kinomoto here. Standing right here. A little whore, a little tramp, a little slut. A Kinomoto bitch. Access to every secret the Li family could possibly have." 

Sakura shuddered, fear deep in her heart and she fought tears as the Duke gripped her wrist hard, and she knew bruises would appear soon. Her eyes were wide with terror as the Duke's finger trailed up her throat and across her lips. He pressed his finger down on her lips hard and leaned in close, whispering, " Yet....conveniently....not a word passes by this whore's lips."

" BASTARD!" 

The yell came from behind her and she was suddenly pushed aside as someone rammed into the Duke hard. It was Syaoran!!

Cries erupted in the dining room and Sakura watched with horrified eyes as Syaoran grabbed the Duke by his throat and punched him hard in the face. " Don't you DARE touch Keili like that EVER-" Sakura heard him growl but no one else could hear it for he said it low and angrily.

" Xiao-Lang! Xiao-Lang, stop!!" Yelan screamed, as Yamaki and Eriol grabbed Syaoran's arms and pulled him away from the Duke. 

Syaoran spit out, " Bastard! How dare you insinuate that Keili is a spy, that Meiling is a traitor? You are going against my decisions, my power and my authority!"

The Duke got up slowly, wiping away the blood from his nose slowly. His red eyes were dark and dangerous but a smile lurked on his lips and Sakura shivered. Why did he look so triumphant? What was the Duke's plan?

" Oh, dear Prince Xiao-Lang. My theories are quite often....imaginative and...unbelievable. I apologize for any inconvenience."

Yelan grabbed Syaoran's arm and glared at him sternly, before curtsying to the Duke. " No, I am sorry for my son's reaction. He was quite close to Meiling and such implications have blinded his good judgement."

The Duke nodded, straightening out his clothes. " I should bid you goodnight then. It was just my surprise that under torture...Meiling, a woman, brought up royally and only trained in martial arts for a few years could withstand torture...and Keili, a peasant Kinomoto, in our territory, cannot speak and cannot say word...but can cause you to leap to such defences."

He turned and walked away, his footsteps echoing in the shocked silence of the dining room. He turned around and smirked. " You must care deeply about this little wench....it has gone beyond the fact that she warms your bed at night, hasn't it?"

Syaoran fought against Yamaki and Eriol's restraining arms and then settled for a glare as the Duke as he turned around and walked out of the room. Sakura stared at the Duke and she rubbed her arm and her lips absently as she stared at Syaoran. He had attacked his own uncle, reprimanded his own people-for her? 

Syaoran turned around, Lady Rita waiting for him with shocked blue eyes. She dabbed at his hand and he heaved a sigh before turning and meeting Sakura's eyes.

Sakura felt her breath hitch in her throat at the expression in Syaoran's deep amber eyes. Never such an expression had she seen on Syaoran and she could only stare back at him. 

" Xiao-Lang?" Lady Rita asked and Syaoran jerked his gaze away from Sakura and Sakura's shoulders dropped. She turned away slowly, wincing as someone passed by her and spit on her dress.

She kept walking, even as someone sneered, " Filthy Kinomoto spy!" She kept walking even as someone else shoved into her heard, making her fall to the ground. She picked herself up and kept walking.

This wasn't her home. This wasn't her place.

She was causing so much trouble.

So much trouble for Syaoran....so much trouble for the Li family....just so much trouble.

*************

Sakura walked down the hallway slowly, taking in deep breaths. She wanted to go back. She should go back, to the Kinomoto land, back to her father. Maybe her father could break free of Oribia's curse...maybe he would welcome her home....

She shook her head, smiling ironically. Like that would ever happen.

She watched the windows yearningly, wanting to break free of all her problems. Everything was just weighing her down, bearing her down and she sometimes wanted to fall, wanted to give up-just to she could breathe again. Breathe without worrying; breathe without having her soul and heart hurt with pain and tears-

" Kinomoto."

Sakura froze and turned around slowly. Who was it?

Then she turned and met teary cerulean blue eyes.

__

Lady Rita...

It didn't shock her that Lady Rita was talking to her-no, what shocked her was the look in Lady Rita's eyes. It was a mix of anger, desperation and fury. Lady Rita never let emotions control her much, and usually kept that goddess like expression on her face much. This time, she had let it go.

" Get out," Lady Rita whispered, her voice quiet and soft and Sakura had to lean in to hear her.

Her eyes widened as Lady Rita's voice grew louder. " Get out. Get out of my Kingdom. Get out of my fiancé's life. Get out of my home, get out of my LIFE!!" She screamed.

Sakura stumbled back, shocked. Her jaw dropped and she stared at Lady Rita in disbelief. Lady Rita, so composed, so beautiful, so graceful-was reduced to the shaking mess that was in front of her right now.

Lady Rita pointed at her with a trembling finger. " Every day, I hear your name. Everyday, I hear it pass by MY fiancé's lips. HE'S MINE, can you not see? I've been in love with him all my life and I am not letting him get distracted by a Kinomoto!! You could be a filthy spy, a dirty peasant, revealing all our secrets to our enemy-" She shook her head, and with a disgusted sob, she pushed Sakura away from her.

" SO PLEASE, just get out! Stop causing so many problems for us! Ever since you came, everything's just gone wrong!! SO LEAVE! Get out! GET _OUT_!" 

Sakura had heard enough. She twisted on her heel and ran down the hallway, away from Lady Rita's shuddering sobs, away from the guilt and the angry harsh words, and ran out the door and into the hard whipping air.

She ran down the hills, towards that river of solitude but she bumped into someone on the way.

" Wha-Keili?"

Recognizing the voice, Sakura groaned inwardly. NO! She pushed him away and ran away from him, but he had grabbed her wrist and swung her back to him.

She fought against him hard, banging her fists against his chest, tried to kick him and wrench away from his hold, but Syaoran was determined to hold her to him and she gave up, her shoulders shaking with surprised sobs.

" Keili?" He whispered, amber eyes concerned. His fingers went out and touched her cheek, which was covered with tears. Her body shuddered with longing as his fingers touched her skin and she pulled back from his touch. This wasn't right. It wasn't right.

Syaoran dropped his hand and said quietly, " Look, Keili, I'm sorry about what happened earlier, I just-well, I am the Prince of the Li Kingdom, I have certain expectations and what came out-I really didn't mean any of it, at all! I really-you-just-"

He fought for words and Sakura was able to pull away from him. Turning her back to him, she struggled to breathe.

" Keili? Keili, is it what the Duke said? I'll kill that bastard with my own bare hands, did he say anything else to you? I swear, that Duke-if I could get my hands on him right now, I'd make sure he would've wished that he was never born-"

__

No! Sakura waved her hands in sharp movements in the air, her eyes angry. Syaoran's eyes grew wide as she motioned_, No! I won't stay. I'm leaving. Gone. _

" What.." Syaoran trailed off as Sakura turned her back on him and began to walk back to her room to collect her shirts. 

" No, Keili!!" He grabbed her hand and Sakura halted, her body freezing up. He turned her around slowly and his amber eyes were desperate. " Don't go!! I still need you! Meiling-Meiling is still lost and you-you were the last one EVER to see her! I can't just let you go!! And-And-"

He choked up and Sakura stared at him , trying not to concentrate on their hands. _He doesn't like you....it's just the spell... _

She stared at him and watched his amber eyes burn as they connecting with hers. " Don't leave-not until I've found Meiling-please," Syaoran said softly.

His eyes were captivating and she felt it all flow away. Lady Rita's harsh words, the Duke's amusement and his burning words-it all just melted off of her. 

The Prince stared at her for a few moments and shook his head. " What you do to me, Kinomoto....what you do to me..." He turned away and Sakura pulled him lightly and he turned around confused.

She pointed to their clasped hands and his cheeks turned bright red. " Oh-right..." He let go of her like her hand was on fire and Sakura watched him shift uncomfortably as an embarrassed blush spread over his face.

And then Sakura smiled. She smiled brightly and shook her head, grinning mad as she walked away from Syaoran. She turned back and caught him scuffing his feet on the ground, a slight upturn to his lips and her smile turned even broader.

She would stay...for him. Until the shirts were done, she wouldn't leave.

Three shirts left. Three more shirts to make. And then, would her brothers be free-and then, Oribia's powers would be useless-and then they would get back their Kingdom and get back their father. And finally, they would live happily ever after.

a/n: lol, i hope ya'll liked dis chapter. not too sure about dis one, a lot more emotional and the castle is getting a lot more dangerous. so sakura might be stayin, but since more people believe that she might be a spy, who knows wat could happen right? and do ya'll thinks Syaoran is under a spell by Nadeshiko? or is his feelins real? 

aight, ppl review! and yeea, i did make a mistake in da last chapter. it was Yukito who came to meet her, not Yamaki. Aight, ppl?

Aight! see ya latez,

'nuff luv,

__

~starjade~


	17. A Shock

Misty Dreams

Chapter Seventeen

Card Captor Sakura

starjade

A Shock

It was hard trying to survive at the Li household. It was hard to walk around and ignore the hostility. Sakura honestly didn't know how people could live like this. Ridiculed and hated every day of their lives. She just wished they could accept her, or at least leave her alone.

More for Syaoran's sake, then hers.

Syaoran was now hovering over her like a bee to a flower. It was getting annoying-not the fact that Syaoran was always around her, but to the fact that her crush was now growing. It was getting harder to mask her adoration for the Li Prince and not express it at all. And it was getting harder to stop the tears from falling whenever Lady Rita would arrive.

Lady Rita was never in a good mood when Sakura would arrive. Sakura had to give her credit-she was a splendid actress. Only Sakura could see the thinly veiled hatred in her beautiful cerulean eyes. So Sakura tried to stay away from the couple-especially since the wedding was just days away.

Syaoran was doing a good job of keeping the Duke away from Sakura. Ever since that fateful day, Sakura had not seen him, only from afar. It would probably be a mistake for him to try and insult Sakura anymore, with the fact that a marriage was about to take place.

Sakura was hell bent on trying to finish the shirts. She had almost finished four. Two more shirts left. The end was near..... she hoped. She hoped her brothers would finally be set free of their curse-and they could take back their kingdom and their country....and their father.

Closing her eyes as she dreamed of the day that they would all be set free of the curse, she imagined what she would say to Syaoran.

_'Thank you?'_ she thought. No, that was too formal. ' _You have become very dear to me?_' Nope, not what she was looking for..

" I love you."

That was it! But then her heart stopped as she jerked up. Someone had said those three words!! _Who?_

Her eyes found Syaoran and Lady Rita standing near the front parlour. Lady Rita was staring at Syaoran, her eyes blinking beautifully, clasping onto his hand tightly. Syaoran looked uncomfortable, but managed to cough in response.

Lady Rita stared at him, still waiting, but Syaoran had spotted her. Sakura wanted to hide behind the curtains but Syaoran had already shouted her name.

" Keili!! What are you doing here?" Syaoran cried, his voice unnaturally loud. Sakura could feel Lady Rita's eyes burning into her and she lowered her own.

Sakura shrugged and Syaoran frowned as he saw the starwort on her lap and the swollen hands that clutched the needles. " Keili...."

Sakura looked up at him, sheepishly and Syaoran scowled. " I don't like you hurting yourself like this! You're doing something crazy, but I guess you have a reason for it. I just wish I knew what it was."

Sakura smiled at him gently, but then jumped as Syaoran reached for her hand, touching it lightly. Sakura winced. She didn't want him to see her hands like this. Large, purple and swollen it was a gruesome sight and she wanted to hide them but Syaoran didn't look repulsed. He looked sad.

" Keili-" He started.

" I'm sorry if I'm interrupting, but Xiao-Lang, we must head to the dress fitting! Have you forgotten?" Lady Rita announced loudly.

Syaoran jerked and stared around himself, wide eyed. " Yes-yes, I know-"

" Then let's leave!" Lady Rita cried, not acknowledging Sakura's presence. She grabbed Syaoran's hand and dragged him out of the room. Sakura watched after him, longingly. Sometimes she wished....but it was too dangerous to wish. Too forbidden. She'd just have to shut it all up and wait for the day that her brothers would finally be free.

Finally..

---------------

" I'm sooo excited!" Tomoyo bubbled happily, bouncing her baby son in her arms as she squealed. " A wedding! It's been so long since we've had one in the castle. There was a big load of them a couple of years ago when Syaoran's sisters got married, but their all in different kingdoms....but now, Syaoran is getting married!"

Sakura nodded dumbly, wanting Tomoyo to stop talking but Tomoyo didn't get the hint. " I mean, this is finally the day. Lady Rita may not have been the perfect person I'd have chosen for Syaoran....but she would make a good queen."

Sakura flinched. Of course...Lady Rita would make a beautiful queen...not a girl like Sakura with ugly hands and a load of baggage...not just a princess from the enemy kingdom...

" Keili?? Keili are you listening to me?"

Sakura jerked out of her trance and smiled, reassuringly at Tomoyo. Tomoyo grinned back. " I've made a dress for you, Keili, for the wedding. It's pretty plain though, because I couldn't get my hands on the material I wanted-" Tomoyo looked angry but Sakura smiled widely and put her hand on Tomoyo's arm.

Tomoyo cared about her enough to make her a dress. That was enough. Tomoyo smiled back, understanding.

The wedding was tomorrow. Sakura could feel dread down in the pit of her stomach. She had selfishly wished that the wedding could've been prolonged until she was finally free of the curse and would be able to leave....but of course, the wedding had to come as soon as possible.

Once he was married though and made King....what if his views changed? What if he wanted her gone? What if he tried to execute her? Sakura shivered involuntarily. No. Syaoran would never do that.

She didn't quite trust that about Lady Rita though...

Suddenly, she heard cries ringing out. " Prince Xiao-Lang and Lady Rita will make their appearance!" A boy was yelling and it had caused in instant uproar. People began to leap out the castle doors, running across the ground. The gates had opened and Sakura stared wide-eyed at the bustle around them.

She looked questioningly at Tomoyo and Tomoyo looked as shocked as Sakura was. " I can't believe it..." Tomoyo trailed off.

Sakura shook Tomoyo's arm and Tomoyo slowly turned her eyes to Sakura. " Those two are making an appearance in public...as the new King and Queen of the Li Kingdom."

Sakura felt the blood drain from her face and her eyes go round with surprise and shock....and sadness. Tomoyo grabbed Sakura's arm and pulled her along with the crowd. Trumpeters were already blaring and a red carpet had already been rolled out, from the steps to the gateway. Sakura and Tomoyo raced along the crowd and fitted themselves at the front, waiting for Syaoran and Lady Rita to appear at the door.

Sakura felt the nervous anticipation of the villagers who had shown up for this event. So many had arrived...she could see the dirty looks the royal family was giving them and Sakura frowned.

In her Kingdom, it was the same thing...but she had never treated the peasants as if they were lower then her.

Suddenly, the trumpets blared to life and everyone's heads swivelled to the gates. Sakura peered through the crowds and gasped.

Syaoran came through the doors first, dressed so handsomely; it made Sakura feel faint. His burning amber eyes blazed and his red coat and white pants looked so finely made....his shoulders broad and his eyes catching the glints of the sun...

Syaoran began to talk, welcoming the kingdom. Sakura could hardly pay any attention to his words for her gaze was fastened on Syaoran's face. This was more serious then a crush, she thought with a sinking heart. Way more serious...

" And here is my bride to be, Lady Rita!" Syaoran announced. Sakura jerked out of her daze and gaped as Lady Rita came through the doors, looking gorgeous. She looked absolutely heavenly and Sakura could hear the sighs of the people around her. Syaoran and Lady Rita looked like the perfect couple...

They held hands and smiled at the crowd and Sakura could feel her heart shattering. It just wasn't fair....it wasn't fair that she had fallen for the Prince of her enemy kingdom. It wasn't fair that she was ugly and deformed, with a load of baggage on her shoulders and the only reason he was even speaking to her was because he was bound to her...

It just wasn't fair..

Suddenly, someone had pushed her from behind. Sakura stumbled and turned around, but no one was there. She shrugged. It was easy to get jostled in such a crowd.

As Syaoran and Lady Rita began their descent down the stairs, she was jostled again, and this time she fell. Biting her lip in pain as her hands were scraped on the gravel, she got up to her feet, looking around herself for the person who had pushed her.

Then someone grabbed her arm, pressing their fingertips into her arm so tightly that she wanted to scream in pain. Tears sprung to her eyes and she whirled around facing a man with a rather cruel smirk on his face.

" Kinomoto bitch, " He swore, spitting on the ground, making Sakura wince. " You're just a little whore, aren't you?"

Sakura tried to back away, eyes widening with fear but the man wrenched her closer to him and she flinched at the smell of alcohol. " We're all itching for a little Kinomoto to torture.....your people killed my brother. My friends. Everyone I loved..." His face twisted up with anger. " You have no rights in our land. And if our prince won't kill you.....we will."

Sakura tried to pull away, searching in vain for Tomoyo, but she was tending to her baby, standing in the front of the crowd. The people around her who most probably noticed but had made no move to help her. He started to drag her in the other direction, but in an act of desperation, she pulled his arm and chomped on it hard.

" WHAT THE HELL?" He howled, dropping her arm, but before she could escape, he had grabbed her hair and pulled a knife out, holding it to her neck.

" You tramp!" He panted out. Grabbing his knife, he slashed at her stomach and her jaw dropped in pain and she wanted to scream as she fell onto her knees, holding her stomach tightly as she felt blood gush through the wound.

" That's what you get, whore," The man growled, disgustingly proud of himself as he tried to grab her again. Anger flooded through Sakura and she began to wildly punch him but he was much stronger then her and had grabbed her arms.

" Keili!" She heard someone scream and faintly realized it was Tomoyo. Then she heard the trumpeters stop and someone pushing through the crowd until they reached Sakura. The man who had grabbed her, let go of her as if she was burning, his eyes widening with shock.

" My....my prince..." He managed to choke out before Syaoran had punched him hard in the face. Sakura felt everything grow blurry as Syaoran punched the man over and over until the man fell to the ground.

He turned to her and she couldn't see anymore, except for the brightness of his eyes. Pain overwhelmed her and she heard him faintly say, " Keili! Keili, dear god, stay awake-"

Then everything went black.

-------------------------

It was all a haze. She couldn't feel a thing, but she could feel something tugging her....tugging at her, trying to get her to wake up....to open her eyes....

With a jerk, she opened her eyes. A dull pain throbbed at her stomach as her blurry eyes took in her surroundings. She was in a bed, covered with a white sheet. Sunlight streamed through the windows and she could hear people talking.

Rubbing her eyes, Sakura attempted to get up, but then a streak of pain raced through her body and she opened her mouth, wordlessly screaming her pain, but without a sound. Tears rushed to her eyes as someone grabbed her arm and laid her back down.

" Keili, lie down, don't move," The voice said calmly. Sakura turned to the owner of the voice and kind amethyst coloured eyes smiled at her. She attempted to smile back, but she way too tired.

Suddenly, she saw someone storm towards her. " What the hell were you thinking?" She heard the familiar voice yell.

" Syaoran, stop!" Tomoyo protested, but Sakura knew how Syaoran was. He was going to yell.....his only way of showing that he cared.

" What were you thinking, going out in public! You should know that Li people hate Kinomotos! Of course they were going to try something! Something could have happened to you!" Syaoran was yelling, and Sakura could see his face going red, his jaw clenching and unclenching with restrained anger.

Sakura tried to show how sorry she was with her expression but Syaoran didn't seem to notice. " He almost killed you! If that gash were any deeper-you would be dead right now! God, Keili-if something happened to you-if ANYTHING happened to you..."

Sakura strained to hear what he said next, for he whispered it in a soft voice. " I would _never_ be able to forgive myself."

Sakura blinked, confused. It was her fault for going out into public, knowing the Li hatred against her. So why would he be blaming himself? She stared at him, bewildered, as he sat down, his face hidden in his hands.

Sakura suddenly felt the overwhelming need to comfort him. She lifted herself up until she was sitting, trying to hold herself from flinching as her gash sent searing pain through her body and held out a trembling hand, placing it over his arm. His hands dropped from his face, and Sakura saw in a flash, raw emotion on his face.

There was shock, anger, and sadness.....so many emotions swirling in his amber eyes that her own eyes widened in surprise. And in the next instant, it had closed over, the same cool mask barring his heart from the world.

"Keili, you promised me. You promised me that you would never go out without someone with you!" Syaoran's aid, his voice shaking only slightly.

Tomoyo spoke up. " I was with her. Forgive me, your highness, for I did not think that such a thing would've possible happened."

Syaoran took a deep breath and let it out. " It's alright...."

Tomoyo looked beseechingly at Sakura. " Keili? Can you forgive me?"

Sakura smiled, widely and nodded. Why would Tomoyo even ask?

Tomoyo smiled back, but the only one not happy was Syaoran. He was muttering to himself and Sakura leaned forward to hear what he was saying.

" Wedding tomorrow.....need to keep her safe.....Meiling..."

That was all she could hear before his head snapped up. " Keili. Meet me tomorrow at dawn in the garden. Understand?"

Sakura nodded, confused, as Syaoran got up quickly, his eyes hidden by his chestnut bangs. " Remember," He said as he walked out the door.

Tomoyo and Sakura stared after him. Tomoyo clucked and shook her head. " I wonder what that was about."

Sakura shrugged, her eyes still staring at the door where he had disappeared. She didn't know what that was about, either.

-----------------------------

Sakura walked through the dark hallways, a hand at her stomach where her wound was healing. It wasn't a deep cut, but Sakura knew if it were deeper, she probably would have lost too much blood and would have died. She was thankful that her life was saved.....by her saviour, the prince.

Smiling, as she thought of Syaoran, she didn't notice where she was walking, until she bumped into someone. Startled, she looked up and gasped.

It was Duke Jel Tyran.

Staring in fear, she backed away two steps. But the Duke hadn't done anything, only smiled at her with those red eyes blinking with the usual expression of triumph and arrogance.

" Oh sweet Keili, how funny it is to see you! For some reason, I haven't seen you for a long time. I was missing our meetings," He said, softly.

Sakura looked around herself for an exit but finding none. The Duke however was already walking past her. " It is too bad that I don't have time to chat," He said, offhandedly. " I do have an important letter to write to my dear friend, Oribia. Please excuse me."

With those words, he left. Leaving Sakura staring after him in shock and fear, trembling through her body.

....dear friend Oribia....

Oh god. The Duke knew Oribia! Which meant....he knew who Sakura was....and now Oribia knew where she was...

This wasn't good. This wasn't good at all.

----------------------------

Sakura woke up at the knocking at her back door. Rubbing sleep from her eyes and stroking Kero to stop his barking, she got up. It was dawn....the day the Prince would get married to Lady Rita. The knocking came again and she walked to the door, pausing as she came closer.

She couldn't go opening doors like this! Like Syaoran had said, the Li Kingdom hated her. She couldn't trust anyone...

She waited with baited breath as more knocking came.

" Keili! Open up! It's me!" She heard Syaoran's breathy voice.

Letting out her breath in relief, she opened the door and stared. Syaoran was standing there, his form outlined by the rising sun. He looked so.....she couldn't describe it. His amber eyes burned with a passion that made her breathing hitch, his hair falling into his eyes with a softness that made her want to touch it, his broad shoulders and strong arms....

" Keili? Are you ok?" He asked, breaking her out of her reverie. Sakura nodded, trying to control her rapid heart beating.

" That's good. We can leave then. _Right now."_

a/n: Who's back? Ye Ye its StarJade! loll, thank you guys for ur patience and ur loyalty to my fic, and thanks for those who couldn't stay by my fic, but still enjoyed it in the past. This story is going along the plot line of Daughter of The Forest, but it is going to be different at the end. All the stories that I've based on something else has a totally different ending....it's my style, I guess! lol.

Tell me what you guys think of this chapter, and give in ur suggestions and comments! I lub u all! lolll,

see ya latez,

starjade


	18. A Proposal

****

Misty Dreams

Chapter Eighteen

Card Captor Sakura

__

-starjade-

__

A Proposal

Sakura stared at him in shock. Hell, she was more then shocked, she was dead stunned.

" Then we can leave. Right now..."

Finally, she gained back motion of her hands and quickly gestured, _leave? where? why?_

Syaoran paced back and forth, running a hand through his chestnut bangs nervously. " Look, Keili, can you just trust me? Just come with me. Please. Come with me."

He held out a hand to her, his amber eyes pleading with her. Sakura stared at him, incredulously. This was not happening. Today was his wedding day. He was going to get married to Lady Rita. What was he doing?

She shook her head slowly and Sakura watched, horrified as he went down on both knees. " Keili, you have to! I need you to come with me! Please, stop thinking about the wedding, all of these problems, and just leave with me right now."

The Prince of the Li Kingdom was on his knees in front of her. It was too much for her to bear and she had to place her hand in his. His amber eyes lit up and Sakura felt her face break into a smile as he shouted, " Yes! Get changed quickly!"

Sakura, feeling more confused in her life, wore the gown that Tomoyo had made for her to wear to the wedding. It was a simple blue dress but it had a soft material that she loved and she slipped it on. Putting on the leather sandals that went with the dress, she grabbed her pack of starwort and went outside her garden.

When she felt the rays of the rising sun hit her face and light up the scene in front of her, she gasped. Syaoran was standing in front of a horse, beckoning her forward. Sakura took cautious steps towards him, trying to force all sane thoughts from her head. The wedding, Lady Rita, Tomoyo, the Duke, the whole Kingdom, Queen Yelan-

So instead, she concentrated on his amber eyes. This may have been a mistake, hell if her brothers ever heard that she had trusted a Li man, they would kill HIM and then her! Shaking her head slowly, Syaoran grabbed her arm and hoisted her up into the saddle.

He climbed up in front of her and grabbed the reins, whispering, " Hold on tight!" as the horse began to clip clop out of the courtyard. She held his waist cautiously, biting her lip as she saw Eriol at the gate, signalling them to hurry up.

As they crossed the gate, Eriol clasped Syaoran's hand and whispered, " Good luck!"

Syaoran nodded and Eriol looked at her. " Remember, make the right decision, ok?" Eriol said to her, his navy eyes looking up at her, almost desperate.

Confused, she nodded as Syaoran dug his heel into the horse and they sped away. Sakura had to grab onto his waist tightly, for they were going so fast that it almost seemed like they were running away from something or someone. Well, technically, they actually were. If Lady Rita found out Syaoran had run away from the wedding with Sakura, of all people, she'd freak out.

Sakura winced as she imagine the horrible things that Lady Rita could do. Most of them involved the Duke....and his connections with Oribia.

They had left the village and were now thundering along the river, the wind blowing harshly against them. Sakura had to close her eyes, feeling as if she would fall off the horse and die if she let go of Syaoran. Her hands were getting quite sweaty....she was holding onto Syaoran, a man she had a rather large crush on and who was supposedly getting married...

The horse began to slow down and was now clip clopping to a stop. She felt Syaoran shift and he began to laugh, deep in his throat and she could feel it vibrating through his body.

" You can open your eyes now, " Syaoran whispered.

Sakura opened her eyes and then instantly clapped her hands over them. There was grit in her eyes and the sun was blaring hard against them.

Syaoran laughed and grabbed her hands, pulling them off her eyes. Sakura opened her eyes slowly meeting his amber ones. And then she raised her eyes and looked at their surroundings.

There was sand on the ground, a beautiful ocean surrounding them. Rocks formed cliffs in front of the beach and a forest completed the scene. Sakura was breathless. It was beautiful.

Syaoran got off the horse and helped her off as well. He stuffed his hands into his pants and walked across the sand, staring at the beach with a soft look in his eyes that was so rare that it was almost hurtful to see. He sat down on the rocks and stared at the rippling waves.

" I love this place with all my heart," Syaoran spoke, his voice so quiet that Sakura had to come closer to hear them. " I used to escape from all the problems of the household and come here. No one knows where it is. It's hidden by a forest that hardly anyone enters...and it's perfect for me. It's...my special place."

Sakura looked around herself with a deeper appreciation then before. If it was Syaoran's special place...it had a special place in her heart as well.

Suddenly, her mouth dropped open. She squinted against the sunlight. No it couldn't be! Then it happened again. There was an animal, silvery and beautiful, leaping out of the ocean and diving back in.

Turning around with exhilaration, she tugged at Syaoran's sleeve and pointed. Syaoran chuckled. " Those are dolphins, Keili."

Sakura mouthed the word. _Dolphin_. It felt weird against her mouth and she wished she could speak it, feel the sound and the shape, each letter enunciating themselves and hanging in the air like precious jewels. Ever since her curse of silence began, she realized how precious communication was. She missed her voice and it was hard to communicate with the people around her.

Around Syaoran, however, she knew that anything she tried to say, he would understand. A warm feeling spread through her body and she smiled brightly at him. A red flush was spreading over Syaoran's cheeks and Sakura wondered briefly if he was sick.

Turning out to the ocean, she tried not to let her mind wander back to the Li castle. To the wedding. To Lady Rita, standing at the altar, waiting for her husband-to-be, who was here with her.

Shaking her head hard, she bent down and scooped the sand with her fingers, letting it run through the gaps between them. Grinning at the feel of it, she took off her shoes and wiggled her toes in the sand. She smiled up at Syaoran, a sheepish look on her face at his interested eyes.

He probably knew now that she had never stood at a beach before....she had never felt sand before, seen a dolphin, watched the sparkling waters ripple and reflect the sunlight's rays....

It was absolute heaven. She ran along the beach side, her feet dipping into the water and then going on to the sand, letting her short hair free of her ribbons and her dress fly out behind her. The bottoms of the dress were getting dirty, but she didn't care.

She was free. It was a feeling she wanted to keep with her for a long time. Turning back with a brilliant smile, she ran towards Syaoran who was writing something on a sketchpad. When she came, he hid it quickly and smiled at her.

It made her heart beat faster and she was aware of the fact that he hardly ever smiled, except for today, where he had been smiling more then he had ever before.

" Have you ever made a sandcastle before, Keili?" Syaoran asked, bending down in the sand with her.

Sakura shook her head, excited. What was a sandcastle?   
Syaoran got up and led her to the area where the sand met with the water and began to build with the wet sand. Sakura sat, entranced, watching his hands more than she was watching the formation of the sandcastle. His hands were strong and confident, and sometimes, in the back of her heart, she wished for the touch of it on her skin. Brushing lightly against her cheeks, running down her arms...it was a deep longing that gnawed at her insides....

But today, she wouldn't let it get to her. Syaoran applauded and looked up with sparkling amber eyes. " Done!"

Sakura scrunched up her nose and shook her head. It didn't look much like a castle. It more looked like a cave or something, with little crude windows drawn on them. Laughing, Syaoran sat back and observed her.

" What do you think would make my pathetic attempt of sandcastle better?" Syaoran inquired.

Sakura pretended to think and then got up, grabbing a shell and placing it on top of the pile of sand. Clapping, she beamed and the corners of his mouth twitched with amusement.

Then both of their expressions dropped to expressions of incredulity as an incoming wave splashed both of them and ruined their sandcastle.

" No! Our sand castle!" Syaoran cried and Sakura pouted. He laughed at the look on her face and she mock glared at him. Grabbing some of the water pooling around her, she splashed it at Syaoran, jutting her chin out with defiance. Her eyes sparkled mischievously at him as Syaoran rose his arms in defence.

" That is it!" Syaoran cried, and grabbed a palm-full of water and splashing it on Sakura.

Her jaw dropping with shock, she rose her hands and covered her face as he did it again. When she saw that he was getting ready to splash her again, she got up and ran. Syaoran shouted behind her as she raced down the beach, trying to get away from the water he was dashing on her.

Finally, she dropped onto the beach and he dropped down beside her, both of them panting. He splashed a few trickles in her face and she pushed him, half-heartedly. He shook his head slowly and said, " It's hard to believe, but this is the most fun I've had since I can remember."

Sakura turned to look at him, tilting her head inquisitively. He scratched his head and said dazedly, " Everyday I'm torn down by new responsibilities, new burdens, and new problems that everyone expects me to solve. It's the expectations that get to me, most of the time. The fact that I have this role to fit into, that I can't be myself without disappointing somebody or disgracing the Li name. I control so many things but I can't even control my own life."

Sakura stared at him in slight shock. This was the most she had ever heard him say about his own life and she wanted to comfort him and rid the pain from his amber eyes. Remembering Lady Rita, she clenched her hands tightly in her lap, fighting the urge to touch him.

" Until I met you....I had given up. I was just a cold outer exterior of my real self. Until I met you," He said, and Sakura felt herself freeze. He was watching her with an emotion that she couldn't place.

" Anyway, how about we eat now?" Syaoran said, his voice changing. Sakura could hardly believe this day was taking place. She had to look down at her swollen hands to realize that it wasn't a dream, that it was reality. In all of her dreams about Syaoran, she never had these swollen hands....and it was a call-back to reality.

They settled on the rocks to eat the lunch that Syaoran had somehow packed. Sakura watched him out of the corner of her eyes and realized that there was some sort of nervousness around him. He looked as if he was anticipating something, bad or good she didn't know. He had been like this since the morning, when they had fled from the Li castle.

Was he regretting the fact that he had run away from his own wedding? Maybe he didn't run away from the wedding. Maybe it had been rescheduled for tomorrow...

Maybe today would be the day he sent her back to the Kinomoto kingdom. Maybe he realized who she was, the cursed Princess and didn't want her in the Li Kingdom anymore and was trying to do it the nice way, by giving her a day to remember before kicking her out...

" Hold on, I'm going to go get some water from the saddlebags," Syaoran said as he got up and walked towards the horse who was tethered on a nearby tree. Sakura watched him go and turned around. Her eyes caught sight of some white paper and she grabbed it, looking at it curiously.

She realized that this was the same paper that he had been drawing on, moments before. Then her eyes caught sight of the picture on the paper.

Her breath caught in her throat and her eyes widened with shock. It was the picture of the beach, drawn with a pencil, the exact scene that they were in right now. That wasn't shocking, it was just the small picture of a girl, running along the beach side, hair and dress flying out behind her, bare feet touching the sandy shore.

It was her.

It was a picture of her.

Syaoran had been drawing her. She didn't know why, but it pulled something deep in her heart and she quickly put it back where she had found it, turning back to her lunch just in time as Syaoran came walking back. She hoped the flush on her cheeks wasn't as prominent as she thought it was.

Why would he be drawing her? Maybe....maybe he felt the same way towards her as she did to him? No! That was impossible. Why would he like a poor little Kinomoto, with her starwort shirts and swollen hands and her curse of silence?   
It was a silly thought.

She shook her head quickly and Syaoran caught the movement. He asked, softly, " Are you ok?"

She quickly nodded and he looked as if he was debating something in his mind. Finally he took a deep breath and said, " Keili, I want to tell you something. Please, don't respond until I've finished. "

He looked at her pleadingly and she nodded, a bit of dread settling in her stomach. He ran a hand through his chestnut bangs and took a deep breath.

" I'm leaving," He finally said. Sakura felt her breath catch in her throat.

He was leaving?? Why was he leaving? Confusion swirled around in her mind as he continued to talk.

" Tomorrow. I'm leaving to find Meiling again. This time, I have a few leads. One of my spies told me that they were watching the Wilds for a long time, and they saw a girl walking among them with long black odangos and ruby red eyes, who looked exactly like my cousin. I have to find her," He said, with a heavy voice.

Sakura watched him with fear growing in her green eyes. Meiling had been found....that was a relief but she couldn't believe what he was saying. He was leaving?? Tomorrow? What would happen to her?

It was no secret that the only reason she wasn't dead right now was because of Syaoran. He protected her, he saved her, and he had made it clearly known that whoever touched her would pay the prices. But if he was gone...that left her, unprotected in enemy territory. She'd be dead before she could even say a word.

" I have to leave but it's going to be dangerous for you here and it'll be even more dangerous for you if you come with me. So I was searching and searching for a solution and finally, I found one....and I need you to hear me out. Please, just listen to me okay?"

Sakura stared at him, the dread in her stomach growing. What solution was this? What was he talking about?

" Eriol and I have been talking about if for days, since we heard the news about Meiling. I didn't know how you'd take it... hell, I don't know how my family will take it. This is the only way out, saving you and saving Meiling and hell, saving me too," Syaoran said, cryptically and Sakura tugged on his sleeve again, urging him to tell her the solution.

Syaoran looked at her deeply and Sakura felt a blush spread over her cheeks at the prolonged stare. " Keili, my wedding is today. I'm supposed to marry Lady Rita. This is what the whole Kingdom expects of me. I'm sick of expectations and sometimes, I don't even think Lady Rita actually loves me. She's more in love with my position and the position she'll receive by marrying me. She'd be Queen. Right now, all I want to do is find Meiling...but I also need to keep you safe."

Sakura nodded, her heart swelling a bit as he said that he didn't want to marry Lady Rita. He took a big breath and Sakura's eyes narrowed a bit as she tried to figure out where Syaoran was going with this.

" The only way to keep you safe while I'm gone to the Kinomoto Kingdom to find Meiling....is for you to be a Li. To be part of their family, part of their Kingdom. I know you're a Kinomoto, but we can divorce as soon as I come back-"

Divorce??

__

DIVORCE?

Sakura stared at him in utter shock as he swallowed. "Keili, I need you to marry me. Today. Right now."

Her whole world seemed to crash around her at those words and she leapt up to her feet, her eyes blazing. Her hands cut the air as she shook her head wildly. No, No, No!!

Syaoran got up and grabbed her shoulders. " Keili, you promised you'd listen to me! You have to understand that if you went back right now, you'd probably be killed. If you get marrie4d to me, nobody can touch you. Not even Lady Rita or the Duke, because you're the future Queen. You're my wife," He said, his face flushing a bit.

Sakura's head continued to shake her answer as he talked. She couldn't get married to him!! What the hell was he thinking? She was the Kinomoto princess, if she got married to him, her father would disown her, her brothers would hate her! How would the Li Kingdom take this piece of news? They'd hate her even more, even if they couldn't touch her.

" Keili, please. I know you don't want to get married to me," She heard his voice crack a bit and she looked up at him, her emerald eyes filling with burning tears, " But we can still get this marriage annulled after I come back. I'll probably be back after a week or so, so we'd only be married for a week. It's only a marriage of name, Keili. Not a marriage of love."

She felt the words pound at her body. Not a marriage of love. All through this, she knew that Syaoran didn't love her at all. It hurt her heart and she wanted to cry. She didn't want to get married to him just for his name. Just for his protection. People already thought she was a whore and a witch....this would increase the gossip tenfold. It was true that no one could touch her as long as she carried his name...but....but...

Tears ran down her cheeks and she looked up at Syaoran. And slowly nodded her head. _Yes._

a/n: Wooottt....they're getting married! Yea! Getting married! Yea! Wonder how the Li Kingdom is gonna take it tho....especially Lady Rita and the Duke! And Yelan! Next chapter is gonna be full of fire! lolll, hope you guys liked this chapter, please send in any comments and suggestions, alright? ReViEw!!!

see ya latez,

-starjade-


	19. A Marriage

Chapter Nineteen

Card Captor Sakura

Misty Dreams

--starjade--

A Marriage

" Good....good...t-thanks for agreeing," Syaoran said, his voice stuttering a bit as he looked at her with a softening look in his amber eyes. Sakura was trying to breath, her chest constricting.

Was this the right thing to do? Did she do the right thing? Or was she just giving into her own fantasies...of marrying the prince of the Li Kingdom?

Her protector....and her enemy...

" It'll really help you!" Syaoran said, earnestly. " If you have my name, hell, no one will lay a hand on you. It'll protect you....and it'll help me to know that you're safe. Please remember this. This is your own choice."

Sakura nodded and tried to smile a bit at him to reassure him. He gave her a tiny smile back as he got up.

" Don't worry. It'll all work out. This wedding can be annulled and you can go back to your land after Meiling is home. It'll all work out. I promise," He answered as he gave her a hand to pull her up.

Sakura closed her eyes in pain and grabbed his hand as she got up and they packed away their lunch supplies. They put it away on the horse and she saw him fold up the picture of her and tuck it into his pocket. It lightened her heart and she got up on the horse, as he climbed onto it as well and they rode away.

Dust rose in clouds behind them as the horse thundered down the pathway and she breathed in deep, holding onto Syaoran's back. It was probably the closest she'd ever be to him.

Ever since she was a little girl, she imagined her marriage to be to the one she loved. She usually never imagined another prince or royalty...it was always a peasant. She had a crush on one who always came every day in the market, selling red, shiny apples.

She loved apples since then. She would always go and buy one apple, blushing the colour of the apple as she did.

But now, here she was, marrying the enemy crown prince. For name only. This was never in any of her fantasies, in any of her dreams as a child. Hiding the hot tears that arose to her eyes from Syaoran, she looked out at the fields as they came closer and closer to their destination.

Sacrifices had to be made. For her brothers...for her father...for her kingdom...

" We're here," Syaoran whispered softly. Sakura looked up at him, surprised and he caught sight of the dusty trails of tears that streaked down her face. Embarrassed, Sakura tried to wipe them away but Syaoran's eyes just grew more pained.

" I promise, this marriage means nothing. Nothing at all," Syaoran whispered to Sakura. Sakura could feel her heart breaking at the words, but just nodded along. He helped her off the horse as they walked towards a quaint little cottage on the hill.

---------------

" YOU WHAT?"

" We're-we're getting married," Syaoran said, backing away a little at the man's anger.

Joe shook his head, his eyes taking on a crazy look. " But you were supposed to get married to Lady Rita! TODAY! What happened to that? Why aren't you marrying her? Why are you marrying-"

He looked at Sakura with shock in his eyes and Sakura hid behind Syaoran in fear.

" Look, Joe. We need you to help us get married in secret. We didn't ask you to lecture us or to berate us about our decisions," Syaoran yelled out. He took a deep breath and looked at Joe, coldly. " I know what I'm doing. Do you not trust your future King?"

Joe turned white and bowed low. " I apologize, your majesty-"

" Joe-" Syaoran started and ran a hand through his hair nervously. " I didn't mean that....just trust me, okay?"

Joe nodded and they both looked curiously at Sakura. Sakura never felt more self-conscious in her life and she tried to hide her swollen hands behind her back. Around Syaoran, she never felt that her hands were something ugly...he accepted them but around Joe and his wife...

" Well....may I ask.." His wife said, rather meekly. " Why you two are getting married?"

Syaoran breathed out. " It's better if you don't ask. If you do know everything....then it'll come back to hurt you. When this is all done and over with, you'll know."

His wife just nodded, but curiosity was apparent around the couple. Syaoran looked at them pleadingly. " Can you get us married?"

" Yes....yes, there is a pastor in the village who does marriages in secret. We could get you married there," Joe said, wiping his hands on a cloth. " But we should go now, if ever. He isn't available at night."

_Now??_ Sakura felt fear and anxiety rush through her. Now? Of all days, she couldn't get married now!

Syaoran put a hand on her shoulder, reassuringly and nodded to Joe and his wife. " Let's go."

-----------------

It was eerily quiet. Darkness was like a fog, settling over the furniture and stifling all the occupants. Light broke through the tinted windows, breaking through the dark and cleansing the air with shards of colour.

Candles were lit at the front and Sakura and Syaoran were both kneeling down. The pastor was in front of them, chanting.

Sakura felt her hands trembling and she folded them in her skirts, trying to breath. This was actually happening. She was marrying Syaoran Li, the crown prince of the Li Kingdom. Could anything get more ironic?

They recited back the prayers and then they stood up to sign the legal parchments. Sakura didn't know how to write the Li language, so Syaoran had to write her name for her and she copied it from him.

Sakura was rather glad that she had worn the dress that Tomoyo had made for her. Sure, it was dirty from the sand and the water when she was playing at the beach, but it was much nicer then the wool ones she usually wore.

Joe and his wife were at the back and they came up to sign the parchments as well, as legal witnesses to the marriage. Then after one last prayer, the quiet and mysterious pastor announced that their marriage was complete.

Amid the incense and the candles, he asked them to hold hands and to recite the last prayer together. Sakura kept her hands at her side but Syaoran reached for her swollen hands without hesitation.

The touch swept through her and she tried not to break down as they recited the last prayer. Then when it came for the exchange of rings, Syaoran surprised her by bringing out two rings.

" These rings I made....I didn't want to give you the ring my mother gave to me to give to Lady Rita...it just didn't feel right," He said, awkwardly. Sakura looked at his hand and there laid too wooden rings, smooth and small, engraved with vines and flowers.

He slipped it on her finger and Sakura put the other ring on his finger. Then the pastor touched both of their heads and gave them the parchment, as proof of their marriage. Then they walked out of the temple, Sakura quickly letting go of Syaoran's hand.

They were married....married...

" I can't believe it," Joe shook his head. " That must have been the weirdest marriage I have seen in all my life."

" It wasn't a real marriage," Syaoran muttered. Joe looked at him confusedly and Syaoran realized his folly almost as quickly as Sakura did. " I mean, not the kind of marriages that I'm used to seeing."

"Well, it was a sweet one still. Rather romantic, if you ask me," Joe's wife commented and Sakura flushed. She found nothing romantic about that wedding. Maybe if they had been in love with each other, then maybe....

But all her fantasies of how marriage would be like...she had never ever imagined this. Marriage for convenience. Romance wasn't involved, even in the slightest.

They rode back to Joe's house in silence and they slept through the night without a word to each other. And the morning came much too soon for Sakura as they ate breakfast and Syaoran saddled up the horse.

" Take care of yourself, Syaoran....and you too, Keili. I find it hard to imagine that you will have it easy just because you are married to Syaoran," Joe said, solemnly.

Sakura flushed at his words. Married to Syaoran....she couldn't believe it. Syaoran nodded and helped her onto the horse as they galloped away. Reaching the gateway to the castle, Syaoran helped Sakura off the horse.

" This is where...I have to leave," Syaoran said, his voice low. " Eriol has told them all about our marriage. They won't hurt you. I promise. I'll be back in a week."

He looked at her earnestly and Sakura nodded slightly, keeping her eyes to the ground. Then, without a warning, he put his finger under her chin and raised her head up so her eyes would meet his.

" Keili..." He whispered and Sakura was entranced by the colour of his eyes. Dark amber, they flashed with emotions she couldn't decipher. His jaw clenched and a muscle in his cheek jumped as he turned his face away from hers.

" I-I'll be back soon..." He said, his voice cracking a bit. His fingers drifted away from her chin and softly touched her cheek. Sakura closed her eyes, almost automatically, leaning into the touch, but he pulled back almost as soon as he had touched her.

" If they hurt you..." He said, his voice hard. " There will be hell to pay." And without another word, he climbed up on his horse and sped away, his figure becoming lost in the sunlight and the cloud of dust left in his wake.

Sakura put a quivering hand to her cheek. His touch awoke emotions in her that she had tried to stamp out. Without Syaoran...she felt lost. Confused. Vulnerable...

Her eyes drifted to the looming gates and she breathed in. She had to be strong. For her brothers, she had to be strong.

She'd finish her shirts in the safety of the Li Kingdom....and then she'd return home and everything would be set right.

She wished she could see Yukito again...maybe he could give her some advice...

With that, she pushed open the gates and walked down the pathway, before she reached the castle steps. There, her eyes widened and her jaw dropped open in shock and fear.

In front of her, the whole castle's occupants stood. And before them all, was Queen Yelan and Lady Rita, standing tall, commanding and angry.

Fear flashed through Sakura and she fingered the ring Syaoran had given her...She was a Li...they wouldn't hurt her...

She hoped.

" Keili of the Kinomoto Kingdom," Queen Yelan spoke, her voice quiet, but ringing through Sakura's ears and body like a cymbal clash. " Confirm this statement. Are you or are you not in a relationship with my son?"

Sakura couldn't breath. She couldn't move. Frozen to the spot, she didn't know what to do. She hadn't expected that she would have to confront them all like this....actually, she didn't even try to imagine the confrontation with Syaoran's mother and the castle's occupants.

Eriol was supposed to take care of it. But they probably hadn't believed him.

" I will repeat the statement. Are you or are you not MARRIED TO MY SON?" The last few words Queen Yelan yelled and Sakura shook hard.

Then she slowly nodded.

Gasps and cries flew through the crowd and she heard people cry, " He's right!" " That witch!" " It cannot be true!" " The prince! This peasant has seduced the prince!"

Queen Yelan held a hand up and the chaos stopped. Sakura's eyes traveled to Lady Rita and she felt her heart pang with shame. Lady Rita's eyes were filled with tears and betrayal.

Queen Yelan began to walk towards Sakura, step by step. Everyone held their breath. One person ran out into the courtyard, running to stand beside Sakura.

" Your majesty, please! It is as I explained! Prince Xiao-Lang is in love with Keili! They are married, legally!" Eriol protested but Queen Yelan rose another hand and looked at him sharply.

" You will not interfere," She whispered, but it was as deadly as a spear for Eriol fell quiet instantly.

Queen Yelan looked deep in Sakura's eyes and Sakura tried to will herself to stop shaking but she couldn't.

" I cannot believe that you.....such an little girl....in dirty clothes, plucked from a lake in the Kinomoto lands, a peasant at most....with strange hobbies, sewing with starwort...has married my son. The Prince of the Li Kingdom. The most important man in all the Li lands...he has married you."

Sakura could not hold back the tears that rose to her eyes at the implied meaning behind queen Yelan's words. She didn't expect Syaoran's mother to accept her, ever. She was from their enemy kingdom.....Queen Yelan hated her..

" You...you have married my only son. The future KING. You have shamed the Li family. The royal family. A peasant! A KINOMOTO peasant! To be Queen!!" Queen Yelan's voice was almost desperate and Sakura saw, at the corner of her eye, Lady Rita who had fallen to her knees, sobbing.

" He left his fiancee at the alter. He left his family, his traditions. Where is he now?" Queen Yelan asked.

" He is searching for Meiling. News has come-" Eriol cut in.

" MEILING IS DEAD!" Queen Yelan yelled. Silence spread through the courtyard, only broken by Lady Rita's sobs.

" No, she isn't," Eriol whispered. " She is much alive...and Syaoran is finding her and bringing her home...finally."

Queen Yelan looked at him, and turned away. She looked at Sakura one last time. " You...." She whispered. " You are now a daughter of the household. As honour requires, you will stay here. No one will touch you. Since you are married to my son, we will move you to the royal chambers. You are now..." She took a deep breath and turned away, speaking the words so quietly, but it seemed to echo in her ears for eternity. " A daughter of the Li household."

With that, she picked up her skirts and walked into the castle.

Sakura felt her shoulders sag and she touched her cheeks, wiping the tears away. Then she felt another presence walk towards her and she looked up.

Lady Rita stood there, her beautiful porcelain skin covered with tears as well. " I was left-" She started, choking a bit. She looked at Sakura imploringly, her bright blue eyes swimming with tears." I was left, standing at the altar. Because you had stole my fiance away from me. H-How could you?" She couldn't speak and she ran off as well, her blond hair streaming behind her.

Sakura felt all the pressure start to overcome her and she fell to her knees. Eriol grabbed her quickly and she felt another person run towards her.

" Keili? Keili, are you okay?" She heard Tomoyo's voice, faintly.

But it was too much for her. The marriage, Syaoran leaving, Meiling being found, the shirts, the curse, Oribia, Queen Yelan, Lady Rita, being mute-

It finally caught up to her and she fell unconscious, only hearing her Li name resounding in her ears.

_Not Keili_, she thought before she surrendered to the darkness, _Sakura_.

_Sakura Kinomoto..._

-----------------

" Keili? Keili!"

Sakura opened her eyes slowly, and closed them as quickly as she could. Beams of light attacked her senses and she felt herself come into awareness. She got up as slowly as possible.

Opening her eyes once more, she blinked at the blurry images.

It was Tomoyo and Eriol.

" Oh, Keili!" Tomoyo sighed, coming towards Sakura and holding her hand tightly. " You wouldn't believe how worried I was about you! I searched the whole castle but I couldn't find you! And then Eriol told everyone...about the news..."

She looked pointedly at Sakura's ring and Sakura felt a blush rise to her cheeks. She looked down, ashamedly.

Eriol chuckled. " I made sure it was the most dramatic scene anyone has ever seen in the Li Kingdom. Lady Rita was waiting there for Syaoran, and everybody was searching for him and I burst into the temple, shouting, " _The Prince has run off with the Kinomoto peasant_!""

Tomoyo slapped Eriol's arm. " Eriol! That wasn't very nice of you."

Eriol rose an eyebrow. " Well, excitement in the Li castle has been missing for ages. I had to make everything as dramatic as possible."

Tomoyo rolled her eyes and Sakura felt a smile creep onto her face. Eriol grinned. " See there? Now that's the smile I was looking for."

Sakura hid her face behind her bangs. Her hair had grown to her shoulder blades since the incident with Oribia at the castle. She wasn't quite used to long hair and it was always out, unlike the royalty at the castle who had their hair in intricate designs on their head.

" Keili.....why did you agree to marry Syaoran? Is it because he's the Prince? And you had to do what he says? Or was it because of other...reasons?" Tomoyo asked, her voice gentle.

Sakura froze up at the question and she looked at Tomoyo fearfully. What would Tomoyo say if she knew what Sakura felt about the crown prince of the Li Kingdom? Sakura couldn't do anything and Tomoyo sighed.

" You do know that you are now a princess of the Li Kingdom...and technically the future Queen," Tomoyo said, a bit ironically and Sakura nodded, shrugging.

Eriol laughed. " Who would've known, the little girl we plucked from the lake would be my future queen?"

Sakura flushed and Tomoyo rested a hand on Sakura's shoulder. " Don't worry, Keili. Eriol and I will be by your side. Even though the whole castle hates you right now, none of them can touch you without going to execution..."

But then she traded a worried glance with Eriol and turned back to Sakura. " Be careful, though. Don't step out of the kingdom without someone with you. People might find ways...around your royalty status now. Especially since the Duke is coming back."

Sakura's eyes widened in fear. The Duke? Did he ever leave her alone? Now that she knew that the Duke was connected to Oribia...there was no end to what he could do to her...

What Syaoran had promised would be a robe of safety might end up being her downfall...She hoped Syaoran would come back soon. And she hoped that she could finish the shirts...before the Duke could do anything to her....and maybe then, would this twisted life turn back to what she had before...

Before Oribia. Before the curse. And before her marriage to the crown prince of the Li Kingdom...

a/n: hahahahaha...another chappie, here ya go! The story is slowllly winding down, so don't be surprised if it ends in 4-5 chapters. Yeaaa I knoe, but i don't really like stretching stories out till their thirty or forty chapters, cuz then it just gets realli repetitive and kinda borin. Anyways, thanks for ur reviews guys! A few of them were confusin, especially one which was tellin me not to follow the book, but was then criticizing me for taking out parts of the book and pretty much was confusin, but besides that, thank ya all!

see ya latez, and review zee more!

---starjade---


	20. A Treason

Chapter Twenty

Misty Dreams

Card Captor Sakura

starjade

A Treason

Sakura gasped. She couldn't believe the expanse of the room she was given. It was on the royal floor and the furniture, the clothing, the jewels.... everything was too much.

Her family never lived in such luxury at home. Her father always believed in modesty, always believed that if they lived modestly then there wouldn't be such a big difference between peasants and royalty.

Sakura didn't even want to step into the room, lest something be foiled. She ran her fingers over the smooth wood, the glittering jewels, the silk gowns....Yet what took her breath way were the windows. It looked over the gardens and even had a balcony!

It was too much for her.

It didn't FIT her.

Queen Yelan said coldly, at the doorway, " This is the only room fit for the wife of my only son. I hope everything meets your needs. Your...possessions have been sent up."

Sakura looked at the small bag at the doorstep and tried to smile at the Queen, but she had turned away and walked out before she could.

It was understandable. Sakura was part of the country that had killed half of her men, her relatives....kidnapped her niece....and now her only son, and her only pride...had married a Kinomoto peasant.

It was a shame, and Sakura knew how much pain the Queen must have been going through.

Sakura had been left alone...at least until now. Sakura had never felt more vulnerable in her life. She never knew what a comfort it was to have Syaoran near....he was indeed her protector.

But she could do this. Sakura straightened her shoulders. She had managed fine without Syaoran. Besides, he did-he couldn't mean anything to her when she went back. Because he was the King of the Li Kingdom.

And she was the cursed Princess of the Kinomoto.

Sitting down cautiously at the edge of the royal bed, she never felt so uncomfortable in her life.

This room... this room wasn't meant for her.

Oddly enough, the small room next to the servants quarters seemed more like home to her then the lavishly furnished royal chambers.

With a quick decision, Sakura grabbed her pack of starwort and necessities and went outside the room. She slowly closed the door and took a deep breath. Then she turned and went down the stairs and ran into her small, little room.

There, she flung open the door to the garden and breathed in deep. This was her place. Here, she felt welcome.

And here, she would stay. Until Syaoran came back, until their marriage was annulled...and until the curse on her brothers was lifted.

With that last thought, she took out her starwort patches and began the meticulous work. Familiar tears burned the corner of her eyes as the needles dug their way through her skin but she smiled through it all.

She had to keep going. For her brothers.

* * *

Sakura walked through the hallways, after having her hands treated and wrapped by Tomoyo. She had worked all night and all day on her starwort patches, fearing to venture in the castle after the entrance she had two days ago. She had finished another shirt. She was so close to finishing. If she could stay two more weeks here without a disturbance, she would be able to complete all six shirts...

And her brothers would be saved.

" Keili!!" Tomoyo cried, chasing after her. Sakura turned around and smiled, softly. Tomoyo halted in front of her, her baby in her arms.

" Can you come with me for a second? I have to find the bib I made for my baby....I was sewing it for a week now and I lost it!" Tomoyo said, desperately.

Sakura nodded and followed Tomoyo through the castle, into the room where all the ladies sat and gossiped while they stitched and sewed. A deadly silence enveloped the room when Sakura entered.

Narrowed eyes followed Sakura as she walked behind Tomoyo and Sakura felt the urge to hide. Goosebumps travelled up and down her arms and she shivered.

Suddenly, everything was much more dangerous.

Tomoyo scowled at the evil looks that the ladies were directing towards Sakura and she grabbed Sakura's arm.

" Let's look outside, shall we?" Tomoyo spit out, glaring at the ladies. They all began to whisper in low tones as the two of them walked outside.

Once they were outside, Sakura felt her shoulders droop in relief. It was unnerving to be in that kind of situation...surrounded by people who hate you. It was too much for her to bear sometimes and it took a lot of strength and tears for her to keep going.

And not just to give up....

" Yes!! I found it!!" Tomoyo cried in happiness as she grabbed a bib with intricate designs stitched onto it. It was lying on the rocks where Sakura and Tomoyo usually sat to stitch and sew.

" I am such an idiot...why didn't I look here first?" Tomoyo mumbled to herself. Suddenly, voices made Sakura and Tomoyo look up.

" Queen Yelan!! There is an emergency in the villages!" A scout came running towards the front of the castle where Yelan was talking to a few knights.

Yelan turned her sharp eyes upon the scout. " What happened?"

The scout bowed, sweeping his hat low. He wiped the sweat off his glistening forehead with his other hand, looking up at Yelan desperately. " A rebellion has erupted in the villages! Apparently they have found out about....Prince Xiao-Lang's marriage."

Yelan sucked in her breath and Sakura felt her heart pound against her chest in hard, painful thumps. Tomoyo dropped the bib in her hand in shock, gripping onto Sakura's arm.

" What's the situation so far?" Queen Yelan asked briskly.

" They've set fires to many of the houses owned by people of the court and rioting has occurred in the villages. They are demanding that the Kinomoto be killed."

Sakura turned white. Killed?? What was she expecting anyways, all of the Li Land to welcome her with open arms? She yearned to tell them all that she wasn't permanent, that they wouldn't have to put up with her much longer....but she couldn't.

She _couldn't._

"Get the soldiers out. Arrest those who are rioting. No matter what we can do....we must respect our future King's decisions. No matter what they may be..." Yelan said, heavily.

The scout nodded and ran off. Yelan's posture seemed to droop and they heard her low voice whisper, " What have you done, Xiao-lang?" before walking back inside.

Sakura felt hot tears rise to her eyes at the words. It wasn't his fault! None of this was his fault! It was all hers...she was causing trouble for everyone...a whole Kingdom, a whole country!!

Everything was her fault....

A tear fell down her cheek and Tomoyo caught sight of it. She gripped Sakura's arm and turned her around so that they were face to face.

" Keili...Keili, listen to me. None of this is your fault! You aren't at fault!! You two are very courageous to act upon your feelings and get a marriage. Don't take this to heart, Keili. Everything will get better....on its own time. Don't blame yourself, you hear me?" Tomoyo said firmly.

Yet Tomoyo's words seemed to fly through her head unnoticed. Sakura shook herself from Tomoyo's grip and walked back into the castle.

It was her fault. Tomoyo didn't know anything. Tomoyo didn't know that Syaoran didn't actually love her. She didn't know about the curse, her brothers....nor did she know that Syaoran was under Nadeshiko's spell, for what other reason was there for Syaoran's actions?

Tomoyo didn't know anything...

* * *

Dinner could not have been more awkward. Sakura never felt more uncomfortable in her life. The Duke somehow got a seat across from her and seemed to smirk at her even more then usual. His look was so triumphant it made her want to throw something at his face so the look would be wiped off permanently.

Her fingers gripped her fork tightly as she tried to focus on her food. Eriol and Yamaki sat on either side of her and it made her feel slightly safer.

" Your majesty," The Duke said loudly, cutting through the silence with his loud, persuasive voice. " I hope we have solved the riot problem in the villages haven't we?"

Sakura tensed and Queen Yelan coughed, shooting the Duke a look. " We are working on it, Duke Jel Tyran. You have no need to worry."

The Duke shook his head, dramatically. " I am not so sure about that....I mean, our kingdom feels quite betrayed. They are constantly being attacked by Kinomotos....and their very own princess is a Kinomoto!! A peasant, as well. It's quite demeaning. Our reputation has suffered quite the blow. Talk of a rebellion is quite popular. Our villagers have lost trust in us-"

" Duke!" The Queen cut in. " That is quite enough. I am sure we are all aware of it. We do not need you to restate these points."

The Duke smiled, slowly. " I am sure that the Li Kingdom knows of this. I am just making sure that our own peasant princess knows of this. I am sure she will now know the consequences of seducing our future King. Maybe when she realizes that no one here will ever accept her will she take her vending body and whore around somewhere else-"

" Duke Jel Tyran!!" Eriol snapped. " Those kinds of words are not to be spoken at the table-"

But Sakura had already had enough. She got up and pushed in her chair quietly, turning around and walking out the door. Instead of going back to her room, however, she walked out the doorway, pain squeezing her body like a cocoon, and she didn't know how to release it. She couldn't cry anymore and she couldn't scream....she could only squeeze her fists tightly and hope for her life to be over.

But if it was....so were her brothers...

Only living for another's happiness. It was getting to be too much...

Sakura walked fast across the courtyard, wiping away her tears with her fists. She wasn't going to cry over the Duke's words. He hated her enough. She knew it, everyone knew it.

When would Syaoran come back??

" And what is such a pretty looking girl doing all by herself?" A voice snarled.

Sakura turned around and her mouth fell open in shock. A hand grabbed onto her wrist, and another hand wrapped around her mouth. A body pushed up against her and she felt herself being backed against a tree.

She struggled widely, trying to bite down on the hand covering her mouth but his thumb held down her bottom lip and she couldn't move her mouth.

Her eyes widened with fear as she saw evil eyes glare into hers. " Kinomoto bitch," He swore, grinning dreadfully. "Already sleeping around with the Prince? Why not give me a chance?"

Sakura struggled widely, tears falling out of her eyes as he began to paw her chest with his hands, struggling to tear off her woollen gown. His mouth covered hers in a disgusting kiss with one leap and his hands held her wrists, his leg in-between hers so she could not knee him. Her body tired, she stopped struggling and only cried, yearning to scream for help, but she couldn't...

She couldn't do a thing..

" Keili?? Keili what are you doing???"

The man suddenly leapt off of her, disappearing into the darkness. Sakura saw Yamaki race by, chasing after the man. Sakura turned around and her eyes met the Duke and the Queen as well as Eriol. Their eyes looked shocked and Sakura could not breathe. Her heart was beating hard and she felt like crying.

A man had tried-tried-tried to-

Yamaki came back, his face scowling. " He escaped. I contacted the guards to close down the gates so he won't get too far."

Sakura dropped to the ground, trying to catch her breath. Tears kept falling out of her eyes and she could not stop them. Syaoran wasn't right. She wasn't safe...a man had tried to rape her for goodness sake!! It was too much!! Too much...

Remembering the disgusting hands on hers, she shuddered and felt like retching. But then the Duke's voice broke her out of her thoughts.

" You _whore_. You absolute _whore_. Married to Syaoran and then playing temptress with other men?? From our own Kingdom? How dare you!!" The Duke yelled at the top of his lungs. His eyes gleamed.

Sakura's mouth dropped open in shock. _What..._

Queen Yelan looked furious. " What was that, Kinomoto? When Syaoran is gone, did you decide that you needed someone else to replace him? Did you not get enough of seducing my son, but you must cheat on him with another? You dare do that to MY SON?" Her voice ended in a scream and she looked so angry it was frightening.

Sakura shook her head, her head whirling with anxiousness. No!!! Did they not see? Did they not see her struggling? Then she remembered that she had stopped struggling because her body became tired..

And from another person's point of view...

No...

_NO!!!_

She wished to speak again. She had not cheated on Syaoran!! She had been assaulted, she had almost been raped-

Eriol was staring at her with the saddest eyes she had ever known. Sakura looked at him pleadingly, wishing that he would realize that she was not an active part...that she had been forced...

" You have committed treason. You have cheated on the crown prince of the Li Kingdom. You have shown that the Kinomotos are nothing but sluts and whores," The duke growled. " Now we have no other choice."

Queen Yelan nodded, solemnly. " You are under arrest, Keili, for committing treason. You will be placed in a cell until trial. You may be executed if you cannot defend your case. Guards!!"

And Sakura felt strong arms grab hers and pull her up to her feet. And with that, she was lead away.

And behind her, the Duke watched, his eyes triumphantly watching the scene unfold. And he fingered the crisp money notes in which he would give Sakura's assaulter for a job well done.

a/n: Awww! lol, now dis sucks eh? Just when she was about to finish the last shirt, she had to go thru this shyt! Anyways, ppl , review and tell me wut ya think!!! And i dunno if Syaoran is under a spell or not...wut do you guys think? Ya think Nadeshiko did put a spell on him to guard Sakura? Or is he doin it out of his own free will? And will Sakura finish the shirts...i dunno...in the book Daughter of the forest, the character actually does get raped in the very beginnin of the story....but yea, i didn't do anythin like dat cuz dats REALLY not my style and that would be wayyyy too dramatic for my story. I'm a drama queen but i dunt go overboard...

aight, see ya latez,

_--starjade--_


	21. A Torture

Chapter Twenty

Misty Dreams

****

Card Captor Sakura

__

starjade

A Torture

She sat in the dank cell, arms wrapped around her legs. The tears had already dried on her dirty cheeks and she was now only staring blankly at the wall.

Everything had been ripped away from her.

The only thing that had been saving her from the darkness was Syaoran...his amber eyes, that shined with determination and strength....his chestnut coloured hair, his strong, wilful body, his magnetic presence....it took her breath away, it made her heart pound...

And her family. Her six brothers, all of them waiting, and who knew? Who knew if they were dead, killed and roasted like the swans on the dinner table just weeks ago? Six strong brothers, always protecting her and loving her....giving her everything she ever wanted. Now she was their only chance...

And she was now stuck in a cell. In the dungeon. Under arrest...for committing treason and infidelity. Her chin rested on her knees and her body shook with the cold.

Her head pounded with pain and turmoil. She wanted to get out...not just literally, but physically as well. She wanted to live the life of a normal girl....she wanted to be a peasant, only worried if the crops would grow aplenty that season.

She didn't want to be responsible anymore...she didn't want to bear with the pain and the insults and the accusations....she didn't want it at all!!

She didn't even have hr starwort with her. If she did, she could've been able to complete the shirts. But she didn't...

Syaoran was gone, who knows where. And who knew when he would come back?

And everyone thought she had cheated on him. What would he think when he did come back...

If she wasn't dead by then....but she was supposed to have a trial! She had to have a trial and if she were proven innocent, she would be able to complete the shirts and save her brothers!

Her eyes alighted with momentary cheer and then instantly dimmed once more and she slumped even deeper into her solitary crouch, wrapping her arms more tightly around her legs as if it would help in bearing the cold dampness of the cell.

Her fingers trailed over her lips and she winced. She was mute. She couldn't speak; she could not prove her innocence. And with the Duke's persuasive words...he could turn every situation around to meet his own needs.

To have enemies like the Duke and Oribia....it was a fatal thing indeed.

The minutes and hours crept by. Rats crawled across her feet and a stench rose around her for she had not bathed in a long time. She felt dirty, alone, hungry, worried, scared-

She felt as if she would burst. And only her remains would be left and maybe then, she would be freed from the prison of her life.

She could not cry anymore. She was too weary. She could not feel anymore. She was numb, inside and outside. Thoughts trailed away from her and she stared emptily into space.

Please....was her last thought before she escaped into the deep, dark recesses of her mind.

Sakura's eyes flew open as a clank against the bars of her cell jolted her awake.

" Here's your food," A harsh voice said, clunking a plate of dirty rice and vegetables through the trap door on the bottom. She looked up surprised and her mouth dropped open in shock.

Lady Rita stood there, her finery and beauty seeming to light up the darkness of the room. Sakura never felt more aware of her situation, appearance and environment then she did now. She nearly shrivelled under Lady Rita's accusing glare.

She reached out with her trembling hands and grasped her food, realizing belatedly that she was starving. Scooping handfuls of rice into her mouth, she kept her eyes down as Lady Rita continued to stare at her. She continued to stare as Sakura finished her food and lay the clean plate on the ground near the trap door and once again, receded to her corner, wrapping her thin arms around her legs once more.

Lady Rita continued to stand there, cerulean eyes gleaming with a mix of emotions, bright golden hair and silk gown seeming out of place in the dungeons.

" H-How-" Lady Rita started, her beautiful voice falling over Sakura like jewels. The woman had a beautiful voice and Sakura was thankful that she could hear such a beautiful voice in the darkness that surrounded her. She had almost lost touch with everything beautiful.

" How could you do this...this to my Xiao-Lang?" Lady Rita choked out. She came closer to the bars, staring at Sakura with a needy sort of pleading mixed with fury. " He married you!! And once he leaves, you're off seducing other men? You should be burned at stake! Stoned to death! Starved, killed, hung, executed...to my Xiao-Lang." Lady Rita turned around, wiping her tears with a delicate handkerchief.

Sakura felt a feeling arise in the pit of her stomach that made her want to retch with guilt, frustration, sadness, hopelessness....She watched as Lady Rita shook with tears and could not do a thing about it.

Maybe Lady Rita truly loved the crowned prince. What pain she must be going through to realize that the man who had left her at the altar, marries an enemy peasant only to have this peasant stab him in the back?

Sakura could not imagine the turmoil Lady Rita must have been going through.

But if it was anything close to what Sakura was going through, Sakura sympathized.

" I loved him!! All Goddesses, I would've done anything, EVERYTHING for him! I lied; cheated, hurt others just to be with him! And yet.....yet he marries you....." She turned and stared at Sakura for a long time and then banged her fist against the bars and Sakura jerked with shock as she knew that the woman's pale, porcelain skin would be marked with cuts if she kept doing that.

"He marries you.....you....Kinomoto peasant.....you!!" Lady Rita slumped to the ground and Sakura moved out of her protective circle in shock. The ground was filthy and here Lady Rita was, on the ground because of Sakura!

It was too much for her. Sakura hurried towards the bars and looked through the iron rods, staring at Lady Rita with compassion. Slowly, she reached through the bars and gripped the silk handkerchief, since her own fingers were dirty and wiped Lady Rita's cheeks.

Lady Rita jerked and stared at Sakura in a mix of shock and repulsion. Sakura tried to smile at her and pointed to her own eyes and shook her face.

Don't cry.

Lady Rita stared at Sakura for a long time before getting to her feet and hissing, " Don't touch me!! Ever again!!" Before racing out of the dungeons.

Sakura watched her go, before receding back to her corner and letting her tears out.

Syaoran come back, she pleaded to herself. She could not, WILL NOT stay here. She was innocent.....

Innocent...

---------

" The trial is scheduled tomorrow. Keili has been in captivity for quite a few days now. I think we should be reaching a verdict by now," Queen Yelan said, angrily.

Duke Jel Tyran shrugged, trailing a feather across his fingers and across the furniture in his room, absent-mindedly. " I would rather that wench be under captivity for a few more days longer. She should have a bit more punishment for her wickedness."

Queen Yelan glared at the Duke. " Duke Jel Tyran, do not disobey my orders. The trial is scheduled tomorrow. Have you found an appropriate Judge?"

The Duke grinned from ear to ear. His blood red eyes gleamed with triumph and satisfaction as he let the feather fall to the ground, wafting slowly through the air before settling at his feet. Then he stomped on the pure white feather, his grin turning quite sadistic.

" I've found a perfect judge for this occasion, your majesty. A perfect judge..."

--------

Hours had passed. Days. Maybe even weeks. She did not know and she couldn't raise the energy to even try.

Boredom had crept onto her a lot sooner then she had expected. The same four dank walls, the stench of human waste and body odour, the rats and the decaying walls had repressed her into an inanimate body with absolutely no life.

She would feed crumbs of bread to the rats that lived in her cell and would count the number of iron rods that surrounded her and then count the number of cracks on the ground.

Lady Rita visited her quite often, some visits involving long stares and then a sob or a sniffle before she would run off. But she would always bring food and she looked forward to Lady Rita's visits a lot more then she looked forward to Duke Jel Tyran's visits.

She didn't look forward to his visits whatsoever. She feared them, she loathed them. He would sit and smirk at her, insult her surroundings, asked her if she finally felt at home, among the filth and the rats.

He would mock her and sneer at her, once revealing that the whole thing was a set-up, that he had set the attacker upon her. She had nearly leapt out of the cell in anger, wanting to claw the Duke apart but she could not.

He told her story after story, about killing Kinomotos, raping Kinomotos, burning Kinomotos....he would not stop and she could not listen. Insult after insult, degrading after degradation, he was relentless.

She didn't know what kind of man he was. Once at a visit, he revealed quite a bit to her.

" I know who you are," The Duke said, coldly as he sat outside of her cell on a chair. He munched on a juicy apricot, staring at her gaunt face with an expression of sadism. " You're a princess. Imagine my surprise as I found out that the seductress peasant enemy, the only daughter of our greatest enemy!! Oribia had contacted me, asking for your death. And I have given it to her haven't I?" the Duke said, grinning. " Or at least, a guarantee."

He sat back in his chair, crossing his legs over. " I was never told the full story of why Oribia would want you dead. She had already gotten rid of your brothers; maybe you're the last one to get rid of before her son will take over the land. If you're still alive, you'll be the heir."

He laughed a bit. Then he stared at her with his blood red eyes and walked towards the bars. " I could, of course, help her a bit by causing you a bit more pain. Maybe by having my way with you..."

Sakura felt her defences flare up and she could not breathe, she was choking on the very air that gave her life.

Then the Duke gave a mighty laugh. " You believed me, didn't you?" He sneered. " Why would I want a woman with gigantic paws all over me? Maybe Syaoran prefers that but I like my women..." He gave her a look over and smirked. " Decent."

With that, he walked out of the room, leaving Sakura shaking.

-------------

Tomoyo and Eriol were barred from seeing Sakura. But since the day of her trial had come, they were allowed to come and see her and clean her up for the trial.

The minute they had stepped into the dungeon, they searched in the darkness for Sakura and when they spotted her, they both groaned with pain.

" Keili!! Keili.....Keili, how could they have done this to you?" Tomoyo moaned, unlocking the door and rushing to Sakura. The stench was unbearable and Sakura was covered in filth, but Tomoyo didn't care and wrapped Sakura in her arms, crying hard.

Eriol looked absolutely furious.

" That despicable animal. I will slit his throat right now. How could Syaoran leave? He knew this kind of stuff would happen! A marriage ring won't stop the Duke! He'll find a way around it!!"

Sakura looked at Eriol surprised. She had thought...she had thought maybe Eriol had believed...

Eriol looked at her and understood her expression. " No way!!" Eriol said, deadly serious. " It looked as if yes, you had been cheating but I know you too well. I know you love Syaoran and I know that you would never do that. Forgive me for not trusting you on the scene."

He bowed low and Sakura shook her head, happiness filling her as she knew that Eriol believed her.

Eriol and Tomoyo believed her.

She was innocent to two people. The two people that mattered anyways.

They got her up, but her knees were filled with cricks and she stumbled her way to the room. Eriol left, in search of better clothes and Tomoyo scrubbed her clean, washing away the filth and the dirt, washing her hair free from the lice and the grime, clucking and moaning at the way her skin had gotten so pale and the fact that she was so thin that she was literally a stick. Eriol came with the clothes and the clothes hung on Sakura since she could not fill it up anymore but Sakura never felt happier in her life.

She was free from her prison.

She was clean. She could feel the deep dark depression she was in lift free and her mind, filled with peacefulness.

" The court trial is about to happen. Please come immediately," A messenger boomed at the door. Tomoyo and Eriol looked at Sakura desperately as if willing her to speak one word just so they knew she could defend herself.

Sakura smiled at them gently. She would do her best....even if she couldn't speak a word.

Syaoran, she thought in the deep recesses of her mind as she began to walk, limping a bit at the weakness and stiffness of her body. Help me.

Eriol cursed loudly as Sakura walked into the courtroom house, watching her with pain filled eyes.

" I don't know how to help her," Tomoyo said, her voice tight. " We can do nothing and even if we beg or plead, we have no proof, no evidence....we wouldn't do her any good..."

Tears had fallen down her cheeks and she whimpered, " Did you see the state she was in? Cruelty knows no bounds when it's with the Duke."

Eriol's fists clenched tightly. " I'm getting that bastard Syaoran and bringing him back. That fool headed man thinks that his NAME will protect Keili? How could he even-" He stopped, choking a bit before his navy blue eyes glinted with determination and his spectacles seemed to gleam as if he had a plan.

" Tomoyo, I'll be back soon!" He cried as he began to run back into the castle.

" W-What? Where are you going? Tomoyo cried.

" I'm going to Kinomoto. And when I come back, Syaoran will be right here with me," Eriol said, his voice edged with steel. He ran off into the castle, coming out soon enough with a pack and a horse from the stables. " Tell Keili that I've left to get Syaoran!! And..." He stopped pausing. " And tell her that we care for her. And that if the Duke even lays a hand on her, there will be bloody hell to pay."

Tomoyo looked up as he swung onto his horse, kissing her goodbye and galloping away towards the gates.

" Bring him back quickly," Tomoyo murmured. " For Syaoran is the only one who can save Keili now..."

For she knew that in Syaoran's eyes was a love for the ragged, strange Kinomoto servant and he would do anything to protect her. Even if it meant galloping into the Li Lands, brandishing a sword and chopping off the Duke's head.

Which wouldn't be a bad idea.

a/n: Angsty chappie huh? Dunn worry...the next chappie starts to get to the good stuff. CAN WE SAY HOOOK UP?!?!? lolz. hahaha. wut romantic potential.

anyways revieeeeew comment, suggest watever!! i lubve all ur reviewz!! and thank yall for ur suppourt...i dislike ffnet for deletin childhood crush, lol.

but yeahhh this chapter has already been updated for a long time on my site and the next chapter will be up shortly, aightt?? im not givin up here!! Lol. my semester's almost over, it was jam packed wit all da hard courses but da nexx one is easy, so im good! lol.

see ya latez,

__

starjade


	22. A Trial

Chapter Twenty Two

Card Captor Sakura

Misty Dreams

starjade

A Trial

Tense, was the only word for the scene. The air taught with emotions riding high and an almost fear carrying above the crowd like a rain cloud, ready to crash down with thunder and rain at any given second.

The wife of the soon to be King was being tried for treason. The small wooden courtroom was filled from top to bottom with people of all different castes and the Judge at the front of the room had a stern look on his face.

The crowd was speaking loudly, their voices carrying high and jumbling together into a roar of noise. The Duke entered the room, followed by his men, smirking with a high and mighty expression as he whirled into his place behind the prosecutors desk.

" ORDER!" The judge yelled, his mallet hitting the desk with such an explosive sound that the whole courtroom seemed to drop into silence at once. The judge's small eyes surveyed the crowd and landed on the Duke.

" Where is the defendant?" He asked, simply.

The Duke's red eyes gleamed. " She is getting...suitable...for the trial."

At those words, Sakura walked into the courtroom, followed closely behind by Tomoyo and the baby. Tomoyo's eyes were swollen but Sakura kept her head held high, her green eyes taking in the scene with a calm, serene look which surprised the crowd. She was spoken of as the weird witch who had randomly appeared at the castle and seduced the prince. And the crowd hated her.

The silence, once again, erupted into jeering and boos. Not a flinch could be observed from Sakura as she fought with herself to stay calm. She reminded herself of what Eriol was risking as he rode off to retrieve Syaoran, what Tomoyo was risking as she walked with her, tears full for Sakura's pain...she reminded herself of her brothers, lost in the realm between reality and fantasy, cursed to be swans...and she reminded herself of her father, lost in Oribia's curse.

It was the least she could do. The least she could do was fight, with the honour of the Kinomoto Kingdom.

" SILENCE!" The judge was yelling. The crowd quieted, with disgruntled murmurs between the townspeople as Sakura settled behind the desk.

" Now," The judge started, with a tired look on his face, " Please tell me what's going on here." The judge looked to be a stern, elderly man with greying hair and a moustache that drooped around his mouth. Bushy eyebrows hid small eyes as he sat, almost lazily, on the judge's seat.

" From what I hear, this girl is from the Kinomoto land. She is married to...the crown prince, is she not? And she is being tried for...both witchcraft _and_ treason?" He said, an incredulous tone to his voice.

The Duke stood up. His red eyes gleamed with cynical cleverness as he placed a hand on the podium in front of him and pointed his finger straight at Sakura. Sakura could not help but wince as he shouted, at the top of his lungs, " THAT WOMAN IS A WITCH! She _cursed_ the prince, she _cursed_ this household and she _cheated_ on her husband!"

The crowd exploded into chaos at these words and the Duke smirked as he watched the effect his words were having. Sakura felt her fingers clench and she glared at the Duke. He raised his eyebrows at her and she turned her face away, anger seeping through her veins. She was tired of these accusations. She wasn't a witch, she hadn't laid any curses on anyone and she hadn't committed treason!

Yet she could not defend herself...she could not speak...no one knew her side of the story..

" DUKE JEL TYRAN, I beseech you, please keep your voice down when you give me an answer and I would prefer no accusations until the evidence has been shown and I have been thoroughly convinced that what you are saying is correct," The judge announced, his eyes trained on the Duke.

The Duke seemed to pulsate for a second with fury, probably, Sakura thought, because he was being spoken down to by the Judge. But he recovered and walked around the podium, his eyes taking in the crowd and Sakura with one sweep.

" The first time I met this woman, I was quite suspicious. Who wouldn't be in my position? Here was a girl that Prince Xiao-Lang dragged in from the Kinomoto Kingdom, scrawny, small and malnourished. She had a wild look in her eye...like a mad dog," He said, his eyes sweeping in the crowd with what could only be called as the skill of a masterful speaker. He looked at the Judge and shrugged his shoulders.

" The funniest thing was that she could not speak a word...yet Prince Xiao-Lang INSISTED that she be protected and treated like royalty," He proclaimed, his eyes once again turning towards the crowd, his red eyes narrowing in anger."Might I remind you all, of our ongoing feud and war with the Kinomoto Kingdom? Might I remind you all that Prince Xiao-Lang's own cousin was kidnapped and maybe even killed by the Kinomoto Kingdom? And do I have to remind you all that this woman, who is not quite appealing in ANY sense, somehow got Prnce Xiao-Lang, who is engaged to my daughter, to not only fall in love with her but to MARRY her as well?"

His voice roared across the courtroom and Sakura's fingers clenched onto the podium so hard that her knuckles were turning pale white. Her green eyes were lit with restrained anger and fury as she watched the Duke pace back and forth in front of the Judge.

" Then, right when this all was happening, Prince Xiao-Lang honourably went back to the Kinomoto Kingdom to find Meiling Li, who, might I add, has been announced dead. I don't know if this was part of this witch's plan, but it could be, for just a few days later, we find her performing an UNHOLY act with another man on our LAND!" The crowd seemed to gasp even though Sakura knew that everyone had already receieved knowledge of this act.

" Treason, I say! Treason of the highest measure! SHE SHOULD BE _EXECUTED!_ With no mercy, whatsoever!" The Duke finished, his face red, his finger shaking as it pointed accusatorily at Sakura, his expression twisted with supposed emotion. But from his blood red eyes, Sakura could tell that all he felt inside was pure, unadulterated triumph. And she hated him, more than anyone else in the world.

The crowd was murmuring with an almost murderous tone and she could feel the hate-filled looks piercing holes through the back of her dress. Tomoyo had begun to weep beside her and Sakura reached out and grabbed Tomoyo's hand in reassurance.  
The rest of the trial was a blur. She could not concentrate. All she was focused on was Duke Jel Tyran's words...and how, it might be too late to save her brothers.

* * *

Eriol galloped across the Kinomoto countryside, his eyes searching out far and wide. He had traded in his Li emblems and signs at the gate before coming to the Kinomoto lands, for fear of assassination or murder once people found out he was a high caste citizen of the Li Kingdom. 

It's a sad day when we're afraid to be ourselves to each other, he remembered the guardsman say before he was carried off in the boat. The gatemen had probably seen enough people lie about who they were, where they were from...

It was true. We were all afraid to be ourselves, Eriol thought to himself as he gripped the reigns tighter. The only person who wasn't afraid to be herself was Keili. The Kinomoto girl who never denied who she was and where she was from.

And right now, she was probably in trial...fighting for her life.

Eriol spurred the horse on, his teeth gritting. Syaoran had better show up and get his ass back and save the life of a girl he had dragged into his own land for his own selfishness. Sakura never wanted to COME to the Li Lands in the first place...and this was all Syaoran's fault.

Eriol had gotten a hint off one of the farmers while riding here that a chestnut haired man had indeed passed through, asking where the "_Wilds_" usually lived.

Eriol entered a thick woodland and sped through the narrow pathways, his eyes intent on his goal. A few moments later, he heard a distant yell...and a clash of weapons.

Syaoran...his intuition called out, and Eriol sped up. Syaoran was close by...he knew it.

* * *

Witnesses were brought up, many claiming to have curses set upon them because they hadn't served Sakura the right food, or because they had looked at her in the wrong way. Many claimed to see Sakura chanting spells underneath her breath and others claimed that she had been seeing this supposed "lover" since the beginning of her stay in the Li lands. Many of them mentioned the fact that she sowed starwort and that it was part of her spells to take down the Li Royal Family. 

Sakura did not listen to the rest of the accusatory claims and stood, staring stonily ahead as she blocked out all the accusing words. She would not take this blows, she would put up an ice shelter around her heart.Yet herbody betrayed her as she felt herfingers dig hard intoher palms, hard enough to draw blood.

Finally, the Judge turned to Sakura, his small eyes taking her skinny, weak body in, her hollow face and her bright green eyes. He then asked, quietly, his voice resounding in the courtroom, " Do you have anything to say, Keili is it? Do you have anything to say to defend yourself?"

Sakura felt her fingernails dig into the wooden podium. She stared at the Judge and willed herself to keep quiet, to not break the curse just to defend herself, but how hard it was! She wanted to spill forth the words she had been keeping in so long! She wanted to shout, I AM NOT EVIL and hear it resound, over and over and over...

But she could not say a word and the Duke smirked at her. Tomoyo jumped to her feet and spoke, " Judge, please, Keili has an illness and cannot speak or defend herself but I can speak for her! She did not do any of these things, I swear to you, she is a kind hearted soul and she would never hurt anyone! She did not perform treason, she was attacked by another man! She is not a witch, she just has unusual hobbies and Syaoran did indeed marry her but to protect her-"

" Why would he want to protect a Kinomoto? He hated them, remember?" The Duke cut in. " And also, I do recall that your child was dead when he was born, was he not? And that Keili here, supposedly " breathed " life back into him?"

Tomoyo froze and her jaw worked. " She-She knows the skills of midwifery, she did not-"

" I do think that your child will grow up to be quite a mutation if a witch blew life into him. Do you not agree?"

" SHE IS NOT A WITCH-"

" ORDER!" The judge yelled and Tomoyo breathed hard, but Sakura placed a hand on Tomoyo's arm. Tomoyo turned around, her amethyst eyes bright with frustrated tears and Sakura slowly shook her head.

Don't. Don't do this. Don't endanger yourself.

" I can't just let them do this to you, Keili!" Tomoyo whispered heatedly but Sakura just smiled at her.

You've done enough.

Tomoyo stared at Sakura with wide eyes and whispered, " He has to come back. He has to. He has to get you out of this...this mess the Duke put you in! It's just not fair, Keili. You're innocent..."

* * *

It was madness. Dark skinned men, muscled and dangerous, were all fighting against what seemed to be only one person with dark hair. They were spinning around in what Eriol recognized in a few seconds as the Li style of fighting, their swords flashing silver in the sunlight. 

The Wilds were winning though, and that was clear for they were only fighting with wooden sticks but their numbers and skill were outnumbering the other two.

And then Eriol's eyes widened with shock. The person in the middle of the fray was...

" SYAORAN!" He screamed at the top of his lungs.

Syaoran didn't look up but Eriol then heard a cry behind him and he whirled around, his muscles tightening in defence.

It was a girl whose long hair went to her knees, her face pale and her clothes, the same as the Wilds, animal skins covered in beads. But there was no mistaking it. Her ruby red eyes were soft and looking at him with almost a shocked recognition and Eriol dropped his pack on the ground, his mouth open in shock.

" Me-Meiling!" He cried, and raced to the younger girl, wrapping her up in a hug. He felt her cry against his shirt but he held her tighter, feeling tears rise to his own eyes as well. This girl...he thought she was dead!

" Eriol, Eriol...before anything else, please help Syaoran! He thought...he thought the Wilds were going to kill me and attacked them and now-" Meiling started and she shook her head. " I can't fight against them, Eriol...they've become...my family..."

Eriol stared at her with shocked eyes. But he could not do a thing because right hten, Syoaran let out a strangled yelp as one of the men had smashed their wooden stick across his back, breaking the stick into two and god knows, what it did to Syaoran's back. Eriol clenched his teeth adn grabbed his sword, racing into the middle of the fray, standing over Syaoran's weak body.

" DON"T!" He shouted, putting his hand up against the Wild's. They stared at him with uncomprehendng eyes, and he could see them making the connection between Syaoran and him, classifying him as the enemy as well. " Don't hurt him!"

They could not understand. They raised their weapons and Eriol raised his sword, prepared to fight no matter what...if it could save Syoaran, Meiling and Keili, he would.

* * *

Sakura gripped Tomoyo's hand tighter as they watched the Judge scribble on his papers before he got up. The whole courtroom stood up as well, the atmosphere filled with suspense and anticipation. 

" Is he making his decision now?" Tomoyo hissed. " But it usually takes them a few days to-"

The judge cleared his throat and opened his mouth. " From all the evidence and points gathered, I have made my final decision. The final verdict is-"

" Wait!"

Everyone stopped. Sakura and Tomoyo whirled around and their eyes widened.

It was...

Queen Yelan stood in the middle of the courtroom, her posture regal and her clothes flowing behind her royally. A bejeweled crown sat on top of her head and three soldiers were surrounding her. The crowd instantly bowed, and the Judge looked at her surprised.

" Queen Yelan, your majesty," The Judge spoke. " What's wrong?"

Queen Yelan's eyes swept the room and found Sakura. Her eyes narrowed and her jaw set.

" I am aware that you are about to pronounce your final verdict, but before you do...I would...I would like you to consider one thing. If...If in fact, my son's wife is..." She stopped and swallowed before continuing, " If my son's wife is pregnant with his child, please, do not execute her. Her child will be the next King or Queen after Xiao-Lang and I will not allow one of the royal family to be killed."

Everyone looked at Sakura and the Judge looked at her through bushy eyebrows. " Keili, please tell us if you are indeed pregnant with Prince Xiao-Lang's baby."

Sakura stared up at him and then looked at Tomoyo. Tomoyo looked at her hopefully, and Sakura knew what Tomoyo wanted her to say. She should say that she was pregnant. Save herself from death. But she could not lie anymore. She was already lying to all of them, they all thought she was poor...but she was indeed part of the royal family...she was already causing so much pain to this family...and to Syaoran...if Syaoran came back and realized that Sakura had said she was pregnant, then he would in fact NEED to impregnate Sakura in order to make this true. It was too many lies, and if they found out...

Sakura slowly shook her head and the Queen nodded, slowly at Sakura's answer. "Thank you, Judge." The Queen said shortly, before walking out of the room.

The Judge then got up once more and he boomed out, " Since that is over, I will now announce the final verdict. The defendant...is..."

Sakura held her breath, even though she knew the answer already and she knew it would not change...

" Guilty..."

Sakura closed her eyes.

" The defendant will be sentenced to death..."

Tomoyo let out a scream as she fell back to her seat, her hands gripping her baby tight to her.

" To burning for witchcraft and treason..."

The crowd erupted into cheers and howls of triumph.

" Three days from today."

Sakura felt the world spin out of control and she sat down heavily on the chair as she heard the Judge walk out of the room and the townspeople walk out as well and the Duke come up to her, whispering, " See you in hell, witch." Before walking off.

Death...

Soldiers grabbed her arms, pushing her to the door and she felt Tomoyo shove something her hands, whispering in Sakura's ear that everything would be okay if she believed, but Sakura could not even muster the strength to smile at Tomoyo and felt herself being shoved towards the door. As she walked in front of the soldiers, down to the stair to her prison, she looked at what Tomoyo had shoved into her hands.

And then a brightness came to her eyes.

The basket of starwort and the four and a half shirts.

Maybe she would be able to save her brothers, after all...

a/n: Heyyy...another chappie finished and one more step closer to the end of Misty Dreams. I have a few ideas for new stories, but the chapters I loaded gotttt deleted as well glare Soo I'm rewriting them, and they will be up as soon as Misty Dreams and a few of my other ongoing stories are dun. Examms are finally finished, thank goddd, sooo you guys mite be able to see more regular updates, lol.

aight, see ya latez. If you have any suggestions or suggestions for this story, please tell me by either reviewing or emailin me , aight? Thankss anddd bye!

luvyalotz,

starjade


	23. A Burning

Chapter Twenty Three

Misty Dreams

Card Captor Sakura

starjade

A Burning

Her fingers bled. She knew it too and she didn't care. She had just finished the last shirt and she was starting the last one.

The last shirt. The last starwort shirt. Her mind thought of Yamazaki...her beautiful brother, so soulful and bright...his care for others stretching beyond rivalry and race...

The pain dulled from the memories of her brothers, she let her head fall back against the stone cold walls of her prison.

He kept visiting. It was unnerving. Every day, the Duke would walk in and laugh at her, taunt her, insult her...He was high on his triumph and on her upcoming death. He told her that Oribia had told him if he could not send Sakura back to her, to at least have her killed.

And that was exactly what he was doing.

It was sickening.

She always blanked out during these sessions. Tomoyo came down to visit a lot too and she loved her visits. She kept her sane. Tomoyo would always grow teary and Sakura hated that. She wasn't going to go down by giving up.

She would make sure her brothers lived. She didn't care what she would have to do. Her brothers would live.

Another surprise visitor was Lady Rita. She came down everyday. She shouted at Sakura, yelled at her and almost always broke into sobs. Sakura now was beginning to understand why Lady Rita came down here. It wasn't only because Lady Rita was wondering why Syaoran married Sakura or why he would choose her, scrawny and swollen hands, dirty and filthy with strange features and even stranger habits...over Lady Rita, who was gorgeous and perfect in every way. Infact, Lady Rita did indeed have a heart...Sakura was not to be fed more then bread and water, but Lady Rita brought down rice, meat and other food that Sakura was eternally grateful for.

Lady Rita was defying the orders of her father in her own way.

Sakura flinched as a particular painful thorn dug its way underneath the sensitive part of her hand and she had to bite down on her lip to keep herself from making any sound.

She tried not to think of Syaoran. She tried not thinking of him, the fact that she was utterly, deeply, hopelessly...

in love...

Death day was coming. And she had to finish the shirt before that day came.

She had to.

* * *

They glared at him, hard, their eyes black with anger and their brown skin glistening with sweat. Their muscles twitched and Eriol swallowed hard as he gripped onto the hilt of his sword as steadfastly as possible.

Then Eriol shouted to Meiling, " Tell them, Meiling. Tell them we're your family! Tell them!"

Meiling nodded and began shouting in a strange language. They jerked but one of them kept their eyes trained on Eriol, watching his every move.

A man walked out of the group and began to shout at Meiling in which Meiling stubbornly shook her head. And then she began to plead, and Eriol felt his heart reach out to her. She had lived with these people for who knows how long...

Then a man launched out at Eriol suddenly and his weapon struck down at Eriol with intent to kill. Eriol reflexively held his sword up and with all his strength, pushed back against the man. His sword was weak, and he grabbed onto the other end, gripping hard and feeling the blood pour from his hands and down the sword.

" Let her go," He gritted out through clenched teeth.

The man stared at Eriol, and then stood up, dropping his weapon. Then, shockingly, he began to laugh. Eriol stared at the man in absolute bewilderment and turned to Meiling. Meiling smiled at them, nodding slowly.

" It's ok. They want me to come back, but they said I could go. Let's leave quickly before they change their mind," Meiling said, hurrying over to Eriol and helping him carry Syaoran out of the clearing.

Then the same man who was shouting at Meiling came over and said something in that strange language of theirs. Meiling turned around and then ran to the man, and to Eriol's shock, kissed him.

Then she came back and picked up Syaoran's arm, helping Eriol carry him back to the horses.

Eriol stared at Meiling and Meiling smiled softly at Eriol. " You understand why I can't fight them? They're like my family." She stared at Eriol meaningfully and Eriol shook his head slowly, his eyes wide.

" You've got a little bit of Syaoran in you, Meiling," He laughed, and grabbed Meiling, holding her tightly. " I missed you...god, I missed you. I was so scared..." He muttered, and Meiling smiled, tears springing to her ruby red eyes.

" I missed all of you too...but let's get back. I heard the princess is in trouble," Meiling spoke.

Eriol nodded. Then as they were just about to gallop off, Eriol froze and reviewed Meiling's words in his mind.

Princess?

* * *

" Get out. Right now."

Sakura's head jerked up and she stared at the man in surprise. It was a guard of the Duke's and he was staring down at her nastily.

" It's time for you to burn, witch," He growled and motioned for another man, who entered Sakura's cramped cell and grabbed her arm, pullingher to her feet. Sakura, in shock, complied with the man but then she felt an icy cold feeling rush through her body, as she comprehended his words.

Time for her to burn? But...it was too early! Her execution wasn't for another few days and she wasn't finished Yamazaki's shirt!

With almost unearthly force, she pulled away from the man grabbing her and starting to smack them as hard as possible, pushing them out of her cell. Not now, not now, not now, was the only thing that went through her head as they pushed her against the wall and grabbed her arms, forcing it up her back, making her gasp with pain.

" Bitch!" He swore. " You lucky your gonna die today, because if you weren't going to, I'd kill you myself!" He let go of his hold and she dropped to the ground, breathing heavily in pain.

"Stop fooling around," The guard at the door of the prison barked. " Grab her and let's go. There's a big crowd outside waiting for the Kinomoto witch to get burned. We can't keep them waiting can we?"

Sakura, in her last desperate attempt, grabbed the basket full of the shirts as they grabbed her arm and pulled her along with them. She followed them up the stairs and down the hallway and as they walked, she heard a roar that nearly scared her out of her skin.

The roar of the crowd got louder and louder as they came closer to the doorway.

" This is your end," A familiar voice said behind her and she shuddered. Turning around, she glared with hatred at the red eyed man who stood behind her, smirking.

" Finally...you, wench, are going to die...and Oribia will reign supreme...and then once she kills off your dear little Xiao-Lang, whose going to stop me from being King of the Li Kingdom?" the Duke whispered. " Absolutely nobody."

He then grinned horridly at her, tucking a strand of dirty auburn hair behind Sakura's ear. " You have such beautiful eyes, you know that?" The duke whispered sinisterly. " If Syaoran hadn't claimed you, I would've loved to have an exotic little Kinomoto in my bed every night. Until I tired of you...those gruesome paws of yours isn't quite appealing, dear."

Sakura didn't care anymore. She felt her body stiffen at his words and when he mentioned killing Syaoran, her body seemed to pulsate with anger.

She drew her head back and spit in the Duke's face, her eyes glaring at him with anger. The Duke reared up to his full height and drew his hand back to slap her and she steeled herself for the blow but he didn't touch her.

He just smiled and laughed. " You're going to die anyways...that's enough reward for me," He whispered and then cried out in a loud voice. " Take her in!"

The guards yanked on her arms and brought her outside the doorways. Sakura's eyes automatically closed and she flinched at the light that she hadn't seen for days. The roar of the crowd grew deafening and when she opened her eyes, her jaw dropped in shock.

It seemed as if the entire kingdom had come to see her death. They jeered and booed at her, hatred clear in all of their faces. Sakura felt herself tremble and she tried to keep herself strong, but when anyone stared at you with such an expression on their face...

It made her weak inside and she felt her confidence slip away from her.

She then took in the rest of her surroundings. The executioner stood at a pile of straw that was ontop of a bunch of pieces of wood and a cross smack in the middle of it that was held up by two strings that were connected to the ground. A wooden plank led to her death.

The Duke shouted to the crowd, " Today is a monumental day! Keili, the woman who Prince Xiao-Lang blindly married under a temptress spell has committed the worst of sins! Betraying her husband with another man, performing witchcraft and not to mention, she is of Kinomoto heritage!"

The crowd was growing wild with anger now. Sakura trembled as she felt the wind blow strong against her and she closed her eyes against the eyes of the crowd.

" What should be her punishment?"

" DEATH!"

" How?"

" BURN! BURN, WITCH BURN!" The crowd chanted and Sakura was pushed down the wooden plank until she was standing precariously on the balls of straw and wood. She clutched onto her basket and nearly screamed when the executioner tried to take it away from her.

The Duke laughed hilariously at her desperate expression. " Let her have it. It doesn't matter anyways! Pathetic little Kinomoto peasant...where's your husband now?

Sakura threw him a hate filled glare but fear was now thumping through her heart. She didn't expect to be killed so soon. She knew that Eriol would not be back in time, if Meiling was indeed captured by the Wilds and who knew if they survived or not? The Wild's were dangerous and uncivilized...Syaoran, Meiling and Eriol could be dead...

And her brothers...her poor brothers..

Gripping onto her last chance, she felt her feet being tied to the bottom of the cross so she would not escape.

She felt the executioner light the torch and the crowd began to hoot and holler.

She closed her eyes.

No...

Looking up, her eyes pleaded with the sky. _Please_...she chanted. _Please...brothers...come now...please, come! Yukito! Please come now! It is your younger sister...Princess Sakura Kinomoto of the Kinomoto Kingdom...she calls for you! Come! Before it is too late..._

But no bird flew through the sky. No swan in sight. Tears began to streak down her cheeks as the executioner raised the torch in the sky, the crowd going wild as he brought it down and lit the haystack on fire.

_Come...Come...Come..._she repeated desperately. _Please! For mother's sake...for father's sake...for our half brother, for our people! For you! Come now!_

The fire licked all around her feet and she could feel the heat and she knew in no time, it would be burning the soles of her feet...and she would be a pile of ashes, her vow to save her brothers burned away..

NO! she screamed in her head. NO!

Then, in the corner of her eye...she saw...

" Bitch!" She heard the Duke swear in absolute glee. " Die the way you're supposed to! Die as a witch!"

" NOO!" She heard a woman's scream in the crowd and tears spilled past Sakura's eyes. Tomoyo...God, Tomoyo had been so good to her...she didn't deserve this...Tomoyo did not deserve this at all..

Then once again, a flash of white at the corner of her eye and she looked up. Far off in the sky, a swan.

A swan.

A _swan... _

Brother...She thought, and then, the fire licking burning at her feet, she reached deep into her basket as the swan began to sweep downwards, downwards...

Screams of shock rippled across the crowd as the swan swooped over the heads of the crowd and Sakura, with every fibre of her being, shouted within herself TOUYA! And with that, she swung the shirt around his neck and then the rest of the swans began to fly down, their large wings flapping above the crowd, white feathers raining down on them like snow.

" What is the meaning of this?" She heard the duke scream.

KOSUMO! The next swan, the next shirt.

" Swans! Their swans! She's performing a spell to save herself!" Cries spilled across the crowd.

HIRO! Another shirt.

EDEN! Another swan.

" STOP HER!" The duke cried.

YUKITO! Another white swan, another starwort shirt.

But then, no other swan came swooping down. She looked around herself, searching the sky hopelessly. Yamazaki...Come please! Yamazaki!

The last shirt lay in her basket. The shirt without a sleeve.

Then, she heard a familiar cry in the crowd. " KEILI!" Her eyes opened and she looked into the crowd, her heart beating fast against her chest and she could hardly think. Then her eyes grew wide with shock.

Amber eyes...

Chestnut hair...

His cry resonated through her heart and she nearly fainted at the sight of him..

Syaoran...He had come...

He was pushing through the crowd, his amber eyes wild with fear and fury. His eyes trained on Sakura, he pushed frantically through the crowd trying to reach her. Behind her, Sakura felt her smoke filled eyes spot a black haired girl and a navy blue haired man who looked just as scared as Syaoran and she felt herself relax a bit.

They were alright...

" KEILI!" He was shouting over and over and she coughed as the smoke rose and rose, soot covering her face and her feet burning. She tried to raise her feet from the fire that licked the bottoms of her soles but since her ankles were tied to the cross, she could do no such thing.

Then Sakura saw something that froze her blood to the core. An archer, wearing the Kinomoto crest was poised at the top of the pillar on the castle, his bow and arrow aimed straight at Syaoran's heart.

Sakura's heart thumped with fear.

Syaoran didn't notice

He would die.

No. No. NO! The wind whipped around her, the flames licking higher and her soles burning, she felt her heart burst with fear and desperation as the last shirt was ripped from her hands, into the empty sky and she felt her throat burn as she screamed at the top of her lungs, with a voice scratchy from months of not using it...

" SYAORAN! _WATCH OUT!"_

Syaoran glanced up at her in shock and then turned to where her finger was pointing, not a second too late. The arrow took him in the shoulder with a sickening thud and the crowd was going crazy around him, absolute chaos. But Sakura could not think.

Her brothers...

Yamazaki hadn't come..

The shirt was gone..

She had spoken..the curse..

Her brothers...they would remain swans...

Syaoran had pulled the arrow out of his shoulder with a roar and leapt through the crowd, racing up the wooden plank and to Sakura. Punching his way past the guards,he grabbed her shoulders and slashed through the ropes binding her feet and pulled her from the fire, his strong arms gripping her tight against his chest, almost as if he was afraid she would disappear.

" Keili...don't worry...I'm here, I'm here, I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry..." He was chanting under his breath, holding her tight as he pulled her away from the fire but she could not comprehend his words. His fingers stroked her hair as he attempted to calm her but she would not listen.

My brothers...she cried hard, her voice finally being put to use as she sobbed and screamed and cried, her fingers clenching onto his shirt as she cried into his shoulder, banging her fists against him in pain.

No...no...

**No...**

a/n: well, climaxy here i gues. lol. anyways yea tell me wut u guys think of it alright? Was it feelingish enough? Lol, weird word I know. anyways yea, tell me wut u guys think andd ill attempt to update faster...

and yea now Sakura can speak lol. And if Syoaran knows she'z a princess yet...i dunno we have to wait to see...he was still calling her Keili wasn't he? Hmm.. .And if your wondering how Meiling knows that Keili is Sakura and all that, well, you'll see in the next chappie.

lol and i guess i should answer some questions. As the story progresses, u understand some of the stuff I'm writing but I guess I should explain now since I'm getting a lottaaa repeats of questions.

Why can't Sakura just write her thoughts since she can't speak?

Well in the beginning of the story, you find out that Sakura can only speak Chinese and this is because of Yamazaki and Yukito, who were taught Chinese to interrogate Li prisoners. They never learned how to write Chinese because who could teach them in the Kinomoto lands? Remember these two lands are at war and they do speak different languages. I also mentioned it once more when they were married. . "Sakura didn't know how to write the Li language, so Syaoran had to write her name for her and she copied it from him." Hope this clears it up for you.

Isn't this story too alike to Daughters of the Forest?

Yeah, it's alike but in many ways its different. I took all the twists from the story while adding twists of my own and new characters and situations. I've only read the book once so I'm doing this off of memory. There are many things I didn't include and many things I included. If you guys read the book, you would notice the differences.

When Sakura gasps, doesn't that go against her "no speaking" thing?

No, because you can gasp without sound. It's just an intake of breath. Maybe I should have been clearer..scratches head

Isn't the S/S getting a bit too stretched out?

Not really, because I'm not the one to have Syoaran and Sakura making out by the third chapter. First, you've got to realize their personalites, secondly, their heritages and their situation. This story is based on EMOTION not lust, which is also why I'm not making Sakura drop dead beuatiful.

I cant remember any other questions...and yeaaahh I also made a couple of mistakes with Tomoyo calling Sakura by her real name instead of Keili and Sakura speaking to the dog and all that stuff...sooo sorry! cowers Loll...

Lolll see ya latez,

starjade


	24. A Revealing

Chapter Twenty Three

Misty Dreams

Card Captor Sakura

starjade

A Revealing

Everything was lost.

She had failed her family. Her mother. Herself..

She had failed everyone.

And here she was, living out a fantasy of being wrapped in Syaoran's arms but she did not care. She had almost been burned to death. She hadn't saved her brothers and she never could because she had spoken to save Syaoran's life...

Her sobs had quieted to little whimpers as she clung to Syaoran as if he was a lifeline. Darkness crept into her mind in little tendrils, stroking her sanity and slowly drawing her away from reality. Syaoran stroked her head, his own head laying on hers, his eyes squeezed tight.

" It'll be okay," She realized he was saying and she almost froze in shock. He was never open with his feelings but for some reason now, in front of his family and his kingdom...  
Then his arms tightened around her painfully.

" Don't you dare touch her," He growled through clenched teeth. " Step any closer and I will slit your throats."

" You'll slit _our _throats?" A voice yelped and Sakura felt all the hairs on the back of her neck rise.

That voice...

It was so...

So...

Familiar...

She started to move away from the safe haven of Syaoran's arms as she turned to face the speaker.

" We have every right to come near her. She is our sister."

Sister..

Sister..

SISTER..

Her head swirled and she turned around, slowly, her eyes widening in shock, her heart pounding hard and painfully against her chest. It can't be, it can't be, please let it be, it can't be...she whispered to herself as she turned around.

And then it seemed as if the world had stopped and everything had gone absolutely still as Sakura laid eyes on the six men in front of her.

Her brothers.

All of them.

Touya...

Kosumo..

Eden and Hiro..

Yukito..

Yamazaki..

Ragged and with short clothing, their hair unnaturally long and beards adorning their usually clean shaven jaws, they looked as if they had been through hell but she knew deep in her heart, who they were.

Then she let out a cry filled with shock, joy and pain as she wrenched away from Syaoran and ran to her brothers, tears pouring out of her eyes as she slammed into Touya's body and all her brothers crowded her, holding onto her, crying as they let their pain finally come out.

" You did it, Sakura...you did it!" Hiro cried, his eyes shining with pride.

" You doubted it?" Kosumo grinned. " She's OUR sister. She's our sister..."

Sakura could hardly speak. She was hugging them tightly and her body felt alive.

She had done it.

She had done it. She was free.

" What the hell were you thinking!" Touya yelled, his eyes filled with frustrated tears " You could've gotten killed!" He held her closely. " You could've gotten killed..." He whispered and she buried her head into his shoulders, hardly breathing.

Her dreams...they had finally come true.

Finally...

Then Sakura realized where they were. In a crowd of angry villagers who just a few seconds ago were chanting for her death. Her head rose from Kosumo's chest and looked through the protective huddle of her brothers at the villagers. They were, shockingly, all silent. They just stared, rather fearfully at Sakura and her brothers.

Then, they were attacked. Not by the villagers or the noblemen, but by Kinomoto and Li soldiers, who came at them with long, double edged swords. Her brothers sprung into action, each of them using the Kinomoto style of fighting to knock their swords from the soldier's grips and began to use these weapons against them. Syaoran, with one hand gripping onto his wound helped out as well, as Sakura yelped in surprise and bewilderment, desperately trying to take stock of what just happened.

Then, out of the corner of her eye, she saw the Duke. He was looking rather crazy, his blood red eyes focused on them with an almost fearful expression but the hatred was clear. Sakura's eyes met his and his eyes widened until they were almost saucers and he quickly turned away, walking fast in the opposite direction.

Sakura didn't know exactly what she was doing, but she started to run after him. She heard Syaoran and her brother's confused shouts after her, but she didn't care. She ran as hard as possible and the Duke looked over his shoulder and he yelled in shock, but he was too late because Sakura had already jumped at him, wrestling him to the ground.

" You...you...bastard!" Was all she could rasp out in her underused voice as she pounded at him with a strength she didn't know she had until she was wrenched off of the Duke by strong arms. Through bleary eyes, she saw Syaoran grab the Duke and began to beat him lifeless.

" Prince XIAO-LANG! Please STOP this MADNESS!" A shout came from the castle.

Everyone froze. The chaos ended and Sakura looked up and realized the strong arms was her brother, Yamazaki. Then she realized that one of his arms...wasn't an arm.

Rather, it was a wing.  
A swan's wing.

She looked up at him, absolutely shocked but he just looked at her, sadly. It was true then. Since she had not finished the sleeve in time...instead of a sleeve, he had a swan's wing.

The Duke had run off by the time they had turned around and Syaoran swore, lowly.

" Mother, do not tell me that you still believe that man to be a good man! WHY DID YOU LET THIS HAPPEN?" He exploded.

The Queen of the Li Kingdom stood there, regally as the crowd began to disperse and the soldiers disappearing as soon as the Duke had run off.

" What happened to Sakura?" Touya growled. " What did they do to her? She looks malnourished, dirty and was she not BURNING to death when we turned back into humans?" His eyes were wild and feral and he grabbed Syaoran around the neck, since he was the only one who seemed to know what was going on and shook him.

" TELL ME WHAT IS GOING ON!" Touya bellowed as Sakura gasped and Hiro and Kosumo began to shout at Touya to let the Li prince go. Syaoran gripped onto Touya's arms and wrenched Touya's hands off of him.

Yamazaki said softly, " Touya, he cannot understand you. You forget that the Kinomoto language is not known to the Li peoples."

Touya let out a growl of frustration. " THEN TRANSLATE!" He yelled.

Yamazaki quickly translated Touya's words and Syaoran's eyes grew steadily darker. " I was away, trying to save my cousin Meiling. I did not...I was not aware of the events taking place. But be assured if I did, I would've done everything in my power to stop it. Keili is my wife and I would not let anything happen to her."

His voice was fierce and protective and Sakura looked up at Syaoran, shocked.

But her brother's reactions were even more startled. Yamazaki and Yukito looked stunned and quickly translated what Syaoran said. Silence seemed to echo around them as the Kinomoto brothers exchanged glances and Sakura felt her fists clench.

Please don't be mad, she thought at them silently. Please...

Then, her brothers exploded.

" That LI Prince cannot be our sister's husband!"

" That is impossible!"

" She would NEVER in her LIFE marry a LI MAN!"

" He is a liar! A liar!"

" Our sister is of royal Kinomoto blood and she would not filthy her blood in a bond with a Li man!"

Sakura flinched as they yelled among themselves and Queen Yelan, with her eyes smouldering, shouted, " ENOUGH!"

The chaos halted and the queen glared. " I am aware that I have been mislead by the Duke into thinking Keili had...preformed adultery, but I beg a thousand apologies. I am sorry and I plead for you and your brothers to come inside until this mess has been handled."

" I will never step inside a Li household!" Eidan growled as soon as Yukito translated the words.

" We have no where else to go, Eidan. Be practical," Yukito said, softly.

In all the madness, Syaoran and Meiling had disappeared as Sakura and her brothers were led inside. Sakura took one last look to the extinguished sand bale where she had nearly died and the dispersed crowd, the same ones who were shouting in glee for her death. Heart heavy, she followed her brothers inside, with her last thought of Syaoran...and his bold words...

She is my wife...and I would not let anything happen to her...

* * *

Sakura looked up and a smile broke out on her face. She had cleaned up, and Tomoyo had wrapped her burnt feet in gauge and bandages. She was even given a very clean and nice dress, a lot better then the woollen and cotton dresses she was used to wearing.

It had been a day since the burning. Her brothers walked into the room, and it was pretty shocking the change in their looks. They almost looked like they used to. They still had long hair from the time spent in swan form and they still looked starved and malnourished, but they didn't look like savages anymore. After settling into the room, Touya started to talk.

" You haven't told them that you're royalty yet, have you," Touya said, straight to the point.

Sakura tensed and looked away from his probing eyes. " No," she answered back. She relished the sound of her voice and looked up, straight into his eyes. " It would've been dangerous to do so. And besides...how could I tell them? I couldn't talk."

Touya looked at her and then nodded shortly. Yukito touched his arm lightly, stern eyes preventing Touya from saying anything more.

Kosumo ran a hand through his hair. " We have to get back."

Eidan growled, low in his throat. His hand clenched the knife at his belt, where he had gotten that from, Sakura had no idea. " That Oribia bitch is going down," Eidan threatened. " Her neck is mine. I will make her bleed for the pain she has put us through."

Yamaki said softly, from the shadows," Our Kingdom is in danger."

Sakura felt a pang of guilt as she saw him shift and hide his wing behind his body. It was her fault she wasn't able to finish his shirt...and now he was going to live in both worlds, caught in between, never one or the other...

All because of her.

" Xiao-Lang!"  
They had hardly noticed her, but the Queen was standing at the door. Her eyes were staring straight at the main door and the Kinomoto family swivelled around to look at the main doorway. Syaoran was standing there, drenched with rain, his chestnut hair slicked against his forehead and was panting hard. Meiling was behind him as well, and both of them were gasping for breath.

" He's...he's in the wagon. Unconscious," Syaoran was finally able to growl out. His eyes narrowed and he spit, " He won't be moving for another few days. That damned son of a bitch."

Queen Yelan looked astonished and then with a few sharp commands, sent servants racing out the doors.

Eidan leapt to his feet. " We have to leave," He announced, his cold eyes glaring straight at the startled Meiling and Syaoran. " Don't stop us, because our country is prepared to wage war on you. We are leaving tonight."

Syaoran, Meiling and the Queen looked at him confusedly. Yukito softly translated and Syaoran jerked. Then he straightened his shoulders, decisively and walked into the room, keeping his gaze level with her brothers.

" I need to speak with my wife," He said, confidently, his brown eyes blazing with determination.

Yukito snapped, " She is not your wife."

Syaoran's eyes narrowed. " She is my wife, legally and in the eyes of God. I must have a word with Keili."

Yukito stared at him. " Keili...Keili is the name you've given her, correct?" Syaoran stared at him and nodded, curtly. " Were you hoping to change her? Were you hoping that giving her a Chinese name would somehow turn her into one of you?"

Syaoran stared at him, in utter bewilderment. " What are you-"

" Yukito, please!" Sakura cried out. She thought Yukito would understand, when he had come that night in the darkness, she had thought he DID understand. But now, he was bringing Syaoran down, sharply and cuttingly.

Syaoran looked at her in slight surprise and then looked up at Yukito again, who gazed back at Syaoran determinedly.

" She will never be Chinese. She will remain Japanese, because she is a Kinomoto by birth, by home, by culture, by being. Her name is Sakura." Yukito announced.

Sakura felt dread come over her. " No, Yukito, not yet, he doesn't know, he doesn't need to know!" She interjected, desperately.

Syaoran looked at her strangely. " What's going on?"

Then Meiling walked in behind Syaoran and smiled at Sakura, softly. " I understand." She said, softly. Then she curtsied, low, bowing her head to Sakura. Sakura shook her head, tears filling her eyes as Meiling rose up.

Yukito walked up to Syaoran and faced him, eye to eye. " She is Princess Sakura Kinomoto of the Kinomoto Kingdom. And you will refer to her as such."

Silence echoed in the room. You could hear a pin drop and Sakura felt her shoulders slump and her eyes grazed up to Syaoran's, almost pleadingly, desperately...understand, please...she thought. Understand..

But he looked absolutely shocked. His deep brown eyes had gotten so wide, they were saucers. He took a step back and choked, " Keili-Sakura...she's a...she's a what?"

" A princess, Syaoran. A princess. You've been treating Kinomoto royalty like dirt. She's been here, for months, almost a year, being treated as a criminal. Almost killed, molested, burned...she's gone through hell and back and yet you married her, told her she'd be protected and then left her to be eaten by the wolves. You do not deserve to have a word with her. We are leaving and we are taking our sister along with us. There is nothing you can do to stop us."

Touya was yelling at Yukito to translate and he hurriedly did so for the rest of Sakura's brothers. They nodded emphatically, but Sakura's eyes were trained solely on Syaoran. His jaw worked and he opened his mouth and closed it, shaking his head.

Then he whirled on Sakura and gasped, " You're...you're a princess. Princess...Princess Sakura."

Sakura stared at him, sadness welling up deep inside her. He felt deceived, no doubt. She got up to her feet and curtsied, looking low to the ground, keeping her eyes to the floor. " Prince Li Xiao-Lang.." She breathed out, clenching her fists tightly. Eyes burning with unshed tears, she looked up at him and whispered, " Pleased to meet your acquaintance."

Syaoran gaped at her, water still dripping down the sides of his face, and off his clothes. Then Syaoran seemed to make up his mind. " Princess or no," He said slowly. " You're my wife. Your still..._my_...wife."

Grabbing her wrist, he tugged her outside into the pouring rain, pulling her along with him as her brothers yelped and shouted. Then he shut the door behind them and stared at her.

" Princess," He said, quietly. " When were you planning on telling me that little bit of information?"

" I-I couldn't. It would've been...dangerous," She choked out, hoping he would comprehend her reasons.

He nodded slowly, his eyes studying her. She could hear Meiling yelling at her brothers inside, to give Syaoran and her some time and she took a deep breath.

" I...I always imagined what your first words to me would be like," She heard Syaoran speak, his voice soft and quiet. " I never thought it would be words that would save my life." He looked at her and his eyes crinkled as he smiled, softly. " Thank you."

Sakura felt her heart break, softly. She wanted to hold him, hug him, kiss him, just-but all that came out of her mouth was, " I need to go. I need to go back. You promised me...you promised me that when you found Meiling, I could go back. I need to go back to my Kingdom."

And she watched the sadness seep into his brown eyes and she felt the rain pour down on her, hard and fast.

Why was life...so confusing.

a/n: Yupppp yup yup yup. A lot of u will be confused that is this the ending or no? Nope there are a few more chapters left, but yes it will be coming to a close soon! awww...imma miss misty dreams. Lol, but at least you readers liked it, no? Thank you all for reviewing, really, ur the bestest.

aighty, imma see you later but please tell me wut u think of this chapter and any suggestions for future chapters. i'm always open.


	25. A War

Card Captor Sakura

Misty Dreams

Chapter Twenty Five

starjade--

A War

" Back to your kingdom," Syaoran said slowly. Water was dripping down his cheeks and his temples, sliding down into his shirt. His fists were tightening and a muscle jumped in his cheek as he clenched and unclenched his teeth. He let out his breath slowly as Sakura looked down to the ground, her eyes focusing on her puffy, swollen hands.

" Yes," She breathed out. " Back to my kingdom. Back...to my father. Back to my family. Back to...who I am."

" Who you are..." He repeated. " You're...Sakura. Not Keili. _Sakura_."

Sakura felt a wave of heat rush through her body as he said her name and felt like reaching out...just to touch him, just to bring back that twinkle in his eye that had made her heart melt in the months she had spent in the Li kingdom. He never looked so vulnerable as he did now, ever. Always the strong one, always the cold one, his eyes were like chips of ice set in a face of hard lines and planes. But now, his eyes were a soft chocolate, full of all the emotions he was feeling...and she couldn't handle them.

They were married. He was her _husband_.

And yet, it was a marriage based upon safety. On convenience. Not love. _Never_ love.

I love you so much, you big fool...she whispered in her mind. _I love you so much. I can't stay...I can't stay._

she whispered in her mind. 

She remembered Lady Rita as she was lying in her prison, crying as she spoke about her love for Syaoran. She remembered Queen Yelan and the way her face softened every time she looked upon her son. She remembered the few times she had seen Syaoran's sisters, how they doted upon their younger brother.

He was needed in the Li Kingdom. She was needed in the Kinomoto Kingdom.

They could _never _be together. Ever.

" I-" His voice broke and he looked down, rapidly. " Your-"

He stopped and breathed slowly. Sakura couldn't take it. She took off her wedding ring, her treasured wedding ring, the one made of wood and crafted by Syaoran's own hands. And she shoved it back to him.

" Take it."

Syaoran stared at her and she could hardly take the expression on his face. Then he said coldly, " You keep it. If it means nothing to you, then it hardly means anything to me." A cold mask had slipped onto his face and he continued, " We'll have the marriage annulled. It's alright. It wasn't like-" His voice tripped but he covered it with a cough. " It wasn't like this marriage meant anything...to either of us."

Hurt tore through Sakura and she watched as Syaoran turned and reached out to open the door to step back inside. She followed him back inside, her eyes trained on his back as she felt the yells of her brothers much before she heard them.

" What the HELL were you doing taking my sister out into the rain?" She heard Eiden screaming but she quickly spoke, " Quiet! Please!"

She felt her brothers settle down and look at her, curiously. Her eyes still on Syaoran, she said softly, " We will be heading out to the Kinomoto Kingdom tomorrow. Please get ready, brothers. We will have to be ready to face Oribia and get back our kingdom."

She heard the silence that met her words and then Touya yell, " Oribia will pay!"

The rest of her brothers roared in agreement. Queen Yelan looked surprised at their valour and Meiling smiled, softly.

Queen Yelan spoke, " Let me show you to the place you will spend the night in."

Her brothers looked at Sakura doubtfully, but she nodded encouragingly and reassured upon the fact that their return to the Kinomoto Kingdom would be the following day, they followed the Queen to their sleeping quarters.

Sakura wondered at the Queen's kindness, even though the hate between the two kingdoms was so strong. Sparing a glance at Syaoran, she followed her brothers, walking behind them and feeling Yamazaki's eyes upon her as well as Syaoran's. Choking back tears, she fought against the urge to sob.

All she wanted to do was to hold him. To whisper in his earevery single feeling she had ever felt for him, just to touch him, just to feel him next to her, breathing the same air, feeling the same feelings, the passion, the fire, the bond...

And she knew, whether or not they were an ocean apart, a river apart, a land apart, even if they're marriage was annulled or they never saw each other ever again...they always had that bond. She would always have that bond with him..

Her first love. Never, would she ever love another man the way she loved Syaoran. The prince of her enemy country, the man who saved her life.

Never.

* * *

" You're so kawaii!" Tomoyo squealed, as she rode beside Sakura. Sakura blinked slowly, surprised.

The Li Kingdom was still in pieces, after the head of the army was revealed to be such a fraud. People began to doubt everything, even their own prince. Everything was crumbling and the royal parties were struggling to regain the trust of their people.

Sakura had already packed her meagre belongings and said goodbye to her room and to Kero. The dog was ecstatic over Meiling's return and probably wouldn't even notice Sakura's leaving. Tomoyo and Eriol were accompanying Sakura and her brothers while they rode out to the water body she would have to cross in order to return to her lands and her home.

" I never thought her voice would be so beautiful," Tomoyo sighed, dramatically.

" Maybe its because I haven't talked this whole time?" Sakura asked, a slight teasing tone in her voice. She smiled as Tomoyo giggled.

" Yeah, maybe that's it," Tomoyo laughed. Then her eyes grew sad as she saw the water body approaching quickly. " But once all this trouble is gone and you're able to speak...you have to leave. I can't believe it. A royal princess in our home...and you were treated like such..." Tomoyo couldn't say the words.

Eriol put a reassuring hand on Tomoyo's shoulder and smiled at Sakura. " She's okay now. She had to do what she had to do for her brothers and for her kingdom. Quite the hero, no?"

Sakura blushed and kept her eyes ahead. But the sight of Syaoran, straight-backed and leading the way to the water body made her heart ache.

All she wanted was to be with him. But as before...she had to do what she had to do...

" Sakura?"

Sakura snapped out of her reverie and turned to her side, surprised as the girl with long black odangos rode up beside her. She smiled, her ruby red eyes bright. " So, I don't think my necklace did you any good, did it?" Meiling asked, a bit sadly.

" No, no, no, it did me a lot of good!" Sakura protested, worriedly. " If Syaoran had left me in the Kinomoto Kingdom, it would've been easier for Oribia to capture me.."

" But she still had her connections in the Li Kingdom too," Meiling said softly.

Sakura kept her mouth shut and looked down. And then she felt her body jolt when Meiling said, " I know you love him."

Her fingers tightened on the reins and she looked up at Meiling with astonishment in her eyes. About to protest, Meiling smiled before she could. " It's alright. Thing is, I've never seen Syaoran so smitten with anyone before. He was...a loner and his mother was forcing him to marry someone. If he was harsh with you, I'm sorry. He hasn't had much contact with girls other than those who were trying to marry him for his prestige and money. And then there was my sister, who was so in love with the romance of being with Syaoran, she hadn't quite looked deep into him and realized exactly who he was."

Sakura stared at Meiling. The same idea had struck Sakura in her days within the holding cell and Lady Rita would come down and scream and cry. Lady Rita wasn't an evil person. She was just a romantic and clung to her ideals and notions of love for the crown prince.

" I have to go back." Sakura stated, her voice shaking slightly.

" I know," Meiling said, nodding. " I think Syaoran understands too. But right now...it's like a piece of his heart is breaking off."

I wish I could believe that, Sakura thought to herself. Her eyes looked downwards as she remembered his words. _" It wasn't like this marriage meant anything...to either of us."_

" We're here."

The call ripped through her body and she looked up. Blue, clear ocean met her eyes and the sun seemed to filter down on them in small rays of heat that made her body warm despite the coldness in her heart. Her brothers began to get off their horses, shouting with excitement as they climbed into the boat provided for them.

And then the scene turned serious as Touya walked up to Syaoran and looked at him deep in his eyes. Sakura felt her body shake as she saw the two tall men, almost fighting with their glares, a showdown that involved no physical violence, fighting or words.

Then Touya stuck out his hand. " You tried to help my sister," Touya said, shortly. " For that, I thank you."

Yukito quietly translated and Syaoran looked at Touya in surprise. And then with a short quirk of a smile, he shook Touya's hands.

" I would do anything.." He started and then he glanced at Sakura, quickly before turning back to Touya. " For your sister."

Touya looked at him, not needing Yukito's translation as he understood the feeling in Syaoran's words. He nodded, and then turned back, climbing into the ship, followed by Yukito. Hiiro and Eiden seemed to be amazed at the boat, jumping around and pulling on the ropes with utter amazement. Her whole family had never seen the ocean before and it was amusing to see their admiration of the structure that was to transport them across such a great body of water.

Sakura slowly climbed off her horse, and hugged Tomoyo and Eriol, so tightly that she knew they must've had difficulty breathing. Laughing softly, she looked at them with sadness in her eyes.

" I might never see you again," She said quietly.

" You will," Tomoyo said, determinedly. " If not, I'll get over to the Kinomoto Kingdom and see you myself!"

Sakura laughed, weakly as she turned to Meiling. Whispering a fierce, " Thank you," She hugged the girl tightly.

Meiling grinned. " Bye," Before saying something Sakura didn't quite understand.

" What does that mean?" Sakura asked.

Meiling grinned. " Future Sister in Law."

Sakura blinked and then turned red. Meiling laughed and Sakura felt her heart race as she turned to the last person there, Syaoran. He was staring off into the ocean, his jaw set determinedly.

" ...Syaoran?" She asked, quietly.

" Farewell, Princess Sakura," Syaoran said, shortly. " I hope we will see each other once again in the future."

Her heart breaking at his cold farewell, she stared at him, fighting back tears.

" Syaoran..." She breathed. " I-"

Don't do it.

_Don't do it._

" I'll...remember you.."

He looked at her and for a short, brief second, she could see the emotions in his eyes. Every single piece of turmoil he was going through...her breath caught in her throat before the mask slipped onto his face once again.

" I promised you...that I would let you go back to the Kinomoto Kingdom when I found Meiling..." He said, quietly.

" Thank you." She said, even quieter.

They looked at each other and Sakura felt her heart ache. Please...do something...anything...

But he wouldn't. She knew he wouldn't. And she walked towards the boat, towards her brothers and away from him. And she could feel him, in her very being, his bright amber eyes on hers, his chestnut hair and his broad build and she could feel his heart, his softness, his fierce protectiveness and she could feel..

And the boat pulled away from the dock and drifted off into the ocean and she watched the shore until Syaoran was but a small speck in the horizon and she could feel the tears race down her cheeks and she could not breathe. She gripped onto her wedding ring, and could feel her brother's stares upon her but she could not turn to face them, all she could do was stare out at the Li lands and hope...wish...want...need...

Syaoran...

* * *

" ORIBIA!"

The scream echoed across the field. Her brothers had broken down the gateways and beat the guards to a bloody pulp. The anger and fury on their faces were deathly and even Sakura could feel the anger seeping through her own veins.

They had arrived on the Kinomoto lands just hours before and the brothers had stolen horses from a group of travelers and rode straight to the kingdom. From those travelers, they had found out that Oribia had transformed the Kingdom into a poverty stricken country, where everyone was training to be a soldier and cities were poor and hungry because all their food was given for taxes for the soldiers in the army.

Their half-brother was hardly a year old and her father was never shown in public. Rumours had it, that he spent his whole time in bed, in a deep sleep.

Sakura's heart broke at the news and a new anger boiled inside of her at Oribia. As they walked into the castle, her brothers effortlessly beating down the guards and soldiers that rushed on them, all she could think of was Oribia.

Oribia had taken everything away from her. Her brothers. Her family. Her father. And all she wanted...was to get rid of her. Get her father back. Get her country back.

" ORIBIA!" She screamed, letting her fury take over." GET OUT HERE! NOW! GIVE ME BACK MY FATHER! GIVE ME BACK MY KINGDOM!"

Her brothers stared at her, and then roared in agreement, before breaking down the doors leading into the castle. And then they stared at what they saw.

Oribia stood there, shaking with what seemed like shock and denial. Her stern face, thin lips and black hair in a knot brought back horrid memories for the Kinomoto children. But what horrified them the most was that a knife was held straight on the neck of their father, whose eyes were staring sightlessly ahead.

" FATHER!" Sakura screamed in horror.

" Father!" Kosumo shouted, and Touya had to hold him back as he fought to get to his father.

Oribia screamed, " You _rotten_ children! I thought I had gotten rid of you for good! But you come back, over and over and this time-" She stopped and ran her knife across Fujitaka's neck, slowly, drawing a shallow line of blood that made Sakura's heart pang with an anger and fear that she had never experienced since her brothers were turned into swans.

" You fucking bitch," Eiden swore. " Don't you DARE touch our father! Get out of our kingdom before we make you regret everything you ever did to us!"

" Your going to make me regret it?" Oribia laughed, manically. " Sakura noticed for the first time that there was a baby carriage right beside Oribia. My half brother, Sakura thought.

" You who got turned into swans, stranded your sister in the Li Kingdom and your father, dumb and useless in the Kinomoto Kingdom?" Oribia shouted, her voice screechy.

Kosumo trembled with anger. Out of all the brothers, Kosumo was the closest to their father and Sakura could see the pain and anger in his eyes at seeing their father like that, lifeless and with a knife held to his neck.

" GET THE HELL AWAY FROM MY FATHER!" He shouted at the top of his lungs, ripping himself out of Touya's grip and rushing towards Oribia. Cackling, Oribia opened up a bottled potion and threw it at Kosumo who screamed in pain.

" Kosumo!" Yamazaki shouted, worriedly as he rushed towards Kosumo. In front of their eyes, they could see welts and bruises begin to develop on Kosumo's skin and Kosumo screamed as they heard a crack and his leg seemed to twist in an awkward angle.

" BITCH!" Touya shook with anger, his eyes fiery.

Sakura could feel her heart pound. Oribia...the woman had ruined her life. And here they stood, in their castle, in their kingdom...she could hardly believe it had gotten so bad. She felt the familiarity of the castle wash over her but it was tinged with the evil Oribia had spread. And she could feel the anger just come over her as she felt her heart throb with anger.

She had hurt her _father_..

She had hurt her _brothers_..

She had hurt everyone she loved. And Sakura would make sure Oribia would regret it.

Oribia screamed, " GUARDS!" at the top of her lungs and Sakura watched in growing fear and horror as a small group of armed soldiers came rushing out behind them. Her brothers turned around and she could hear the clink of weaponry being brought out.

" No.." She whispered as with a yell, her brothers rushed towards the soldiers, fighting mercilessly, with anger that had been growing since the time Oribia had come into their household. Even Yamazaki was fighting, one armed as he fought using his wing as a weapon of intimidation.

" Sakura...dear Sakura.."

Sakura turned around, disgust apparent in her face as Oribia stared at her in triumph. " Little bitchy princess. Not so pretty now, are you? Scrawny, bear hands and wait a second, are those apple seeds or breasts?"

Sakura felt anger pound in her heart and she whispered, " Shut up."

" I heard you were sleeping around over there in the Li Kingdom. Daddy's little girl, a whore isn't she?"

" Shut up."

" Brat, you can't say that to me. I can kill your father any time I want to."

" SHUT UP, SHUT UP, SHUT UP!" Sakura screamed. " You ugly little witch, get the _fuck_ away from my father before I do something about it!"

Oribia's face crinkled up and she laughed, her voice high pitched and screechy. " You? Your going to do something about it? What if I do this?"

And slowly, Oribia traced the knife on Fujitaka's face, carving a O into Fujitaka's cheek.

And that was when Sakura broke.

Whipping out the dagger hidden in the belt around her dress, she ran towards Oribia with a scream of anger and as Oribia stumbled in shock, plunged the dagger into Oribia's stomach.

And then she gulped in astonishment as she felt anotherknife dig itself into her own stomach. Oribia had stabbed Sakura at the same time Sakura had knifed Oribia.

They stood there, among the commotion of fighting soldiers and the blood shed and she could hear a faint wailing as her half brother began to cry.

" You..." Oribia squeezed out, choking up blood as she held onto the dagger that was presently embedded in Sakura's stomach.

" Die..." Sakura whispered, tears springing to her eyes as she pushed the knife even deeper into Oribia's heart as she fought to breath. Pain was enveloping her quickly and she could feel a screen of blood over her eyes as the same substance rose to the back of throat. Her hands were slowly covering with blood and she wanted to scream, the pain was so strong, it felt as if her body had broken into two pieces.

Sakura looked at Oribia, who seemed to smirk. " I...haven't...lost...yet.." Oribia wheezed out and then with a trembling arm that Sakura could not stop, rose a vial to her lips and drank it quickly. Then her eyes rolled back to the back of her skull and she dropped to the floorand Sakura dropped with her.

_No...no..._Sakura thought. _Your supposed to die, Oribia...not escape with your soul.._

And she felt the blood from her stomach woundsurround her body and she could hear her brothers shouting her name as the baby wailed. And as she slipped into unconsciousness, her mother's hand softly stroked her hair and her father whispered her name and Syaoran held her hand, smiling at her ever so gently.

_Keili.._

a/n: The...Ending...Is...Near...

LOL. I'm not that great at these sort of gory scenes so if you understood that Oribia and Sakura both stabbed eachother but Oriba drank a potion that made her body die but her soul escape, then yea, you've got the story. Was this chapter at least acceptable? LOL dunt worry, Syaoran will coem back...or will he? shifty eyes

Anyways people, thanks for sticking with this story for so long. Really. It surprises me how dedicated you readers are! I lub u all! 'hugs' The next chappie will be out sooner then this one...'hides head in shame'

See ya later!

starjade


	26. A Meeting

Chapter Twenty Six

Card Captor Sakura

Misty Dreams

'starjade'

A Meeting

A wave of nausea hit her like an ocean's wave as her eyes opened, blearily. Swallowing back bile, she groaned deep in her throat. The pain in her body was making itself known as deep pangs of pain throbbed in her ribs and she fought for a calm breath.

A cool cloth was suddenly placed on her forehead and she felt her eyes snap open wide. Raising fatigued arms, she rubbed her eyes with her hands until she could see the person clearly.

Kind eyes. " Yamazaki?" She breathed out, slowly.

Yamazaki smiled at her, sadly. " Sakura. You're well."

Fighting back jolts of searing pain, Sakura let out a clenched smile. " Yea."

They sat in silence for a while, as Sakura concentrated on breathing. Finally, she choked out, " Wh-where am I? Wh-where's-" Her breath caught and her eyes whirled onto Yamazaki's form. Her eyes took in his clean form, and the bright, beautiful swan wing replacing his arm. Frantically, she cried, " ORIBIA! Oribia, where's Oribia?"

Yamazaki looked at her and sighed. She heard sounds and looked to the door. The rest of her brothers stood at the doorway, all of them carrying relieved expressions. They looked well and fed, their clothes back to the finery of leather and silk, fit for Princes which Sakura had nearly forgotten they were.

" She's gone," She heard Eidan say, softly.

" After you had stabbed her-" Kosumo began to speak, but Sakura cut him off.

" She's not dead!" Sakura screamed. "She's still _alive_!"

All of her brothers exchanged glances. " We had a suspicion," Touya said, slowly, walking into the room and sitting next to Sakura " But right now, all we can concentrate on is getting our kingdom back to order and getting you healed as fast as possible."

" It's been a week since the fight," Kosumo said, gently.

" A week?" Sakura exhaled out with difficulty.

" Just get well, Sakura. Get well," Yukito whispered but then she heard a voice that nearly made her heart break into pieces.

" Sakura?"

Her eyes widened to saucers and she looked towards the doorway. A man limped through the strong statures of her brothers and she felt tears burn her eyes.

" Father!" She exclaimed, her body fighting to get up, but the pain of her injuries preventing her from doing so.

" Oh daughter..." Her father whispered, tears running freely down his face. Falling to his knees by her bedside, he took her hands in his and bent his head over it. Fujitaka looked malnourished, sick and with an air of death above him it was his saddened face that made her want to crumble.

" Father...are you all right?" Sakura nearly begged her father as she looked into his eyes, ignoring the twinges of agony that robbed her of peace.

" Am I all right," her father chuckled, sadly. He looked at her with watery eyes, and Sakura wondered what had happened to them. What they had deserved to have all this evil bestowed upon them.

" I failed you as a father. I do not deserve the title you are giving me."

" No...no father...you'll always be my father..." Sakura could only say before darkness was beginning to steal her away. She felt her eyes close as her father kissed her forehead softly.

" And you'll always remain Nadeshiko's daughter..."

* * *

Weeks passed. Months and months went by. Oribia had left her son with them and Sakura had, almost automatically, taken charge of the baby. The Kingdom was very hard to restore. The people were distrustful, in pieces, starving and broken. Even after a year had passed by, there were still problems that needed sorting, but the Kingdom had almost gone through a miraculous change. It was almost the same as it was before Oribia had spread her evil throughout the Kinomoto Kingdom.

Her father was regaining his health but had taken a side stand to the ruling of the Kingdom. Touya was named King and Eidan had begun to rejuvenate the army that fought for freedom, rather then control. Hiiro had left, a few weeks ago on his own travels. He had specialized with healers to heal animals and had gone on a special journey throughout the Kingdom and other Kingdoms. Kosumo was currently in training to become a scribe, as Yukito became Touya's right hand man and advisor.

Yamazaki was still lost between the two worlds of animals and humans. His wing made him an outcast among humans and his human side made him an outcast among animals. Broken between two worlds, he remained in between and was often, missing for days, weeks at a time. Sakura remained close to her brother, but could see the ache in his eyes that would always send ripples of guilt through her body, even though he assured her that none of it was her fault.

Sakura, on the other hand, had become a nation wide known healer. Her main focus, at this point, was the child. He was growing up strong and healthy, but his eyes were the same as his mothers and for that, much of the Kingdom despised the child. Yet Sakura would not allow any discrimination against the child, and kept him in her stead, protected from any seeking a deluded revenge.

For Sakura, her days were not peaceful. Not a moment would not pass where she would not think of her lost love. The Prince of the Li Kingdom, with his soft auburn eyes, messy brown hair and strong face. Everyday, memories flitted through her heart as she remembered his words, his protection, his arms, his smile, and his voice...

'Keili...'

All she wanted was to be with him. But she knew it was impossible...and it would stay an impossibility for a long time, as long as she was the Princess of the Kinomoto Kingdoms and he was the Prince of the Li Kingdom.

* * *

" Samy!" Sakura smiled as the boy waddled towards her and clapped his hands, squealing.

" Wanna play," He pouted, his cheeks chubby. It had taken a long time for the Kinomoto family to accept the young child, however innocent he may be. They had believed the child carried with him, some of the evil blood Oribia had in her heart. Yet the child was showing no signs of evil and Sakura knew, deep in his heart, he was a good child born of the wrong mother.

" Play with me," Sakura said, grinning as she put aside the pestle and herbs. Holding out her arms, the little boy shook his head. His dark eyes were bright and happy, quite different from the expressions on Oribia's face.

" Wanna play." He repeated, stuttering over his words.

Sakura's eyes grew sad. She knew what he meant. He wanted to play with the other kids, but the last time that occurred, the peasants would not let any of their children near the boy.

He was the son of the devil, a witch's child. And he would remain so.

Yet Samy's attention was soon diverted as he crawled to the window, and stared outside in what seemed to be rapt attention.

" Look!" Samy cried as he pointed towards the sky, looking back at Sakura excitedly.

" Yes, it's the sky, Samy," Sakura agreed with him, shaking her head as she crushed the herbs with her pestle.

" No, no, no! Eevan," Samy jumped up and down and ran out of the room, waddling down the stairs as fast as he could. Sakura giggled at his adventurousness, following him as the boy flung open the door and raced out to the courtyards.

Then Sakura felt her breath catch in her throat.

It was an entourage. Almost forty horses and soldiers surrounded one horse, which Eidan was riding. His face was hard and cold with almost a look of disbelief in his eyes.

But what made Sakura's heart pang and her breath catch in her throat was what was behind Eidan. A man, his hands tied behind his back and a cloth tied tightly around his eyes was riding precariously on the saddle, his thighs tight against the horse's sides, preventing himself from falling. He looked dirty and worn, but Sakura knew.

She knew, deep in her heart, who it was.

" Syaoran..." She whispered.

Her heart soared. Her eyes lit up. Her body seemed to inflate and happiness flooded through the barrier of defence she had built around her heart and she wanted to scream his name, fly into his arms, whisper the words she couldn't say...

" SY-" She began to scream, but a hand clamped over her mouth and pulled her back from the courtyard. Once the person had dragged her inside the house, he flung her across the room. Sakura looked up, angrily, her emerald eyes flashing.

" TOUYA!" She screamed, her voice full of emotion that she dared not release before. " What are you DOING? That's Syoaran Li on that horse! Syaoran LI! King of the Li lands and Eidan are dragging him like some prisoner! And why did you not let me call out to him? It's Syaoran, he's come here, and he's come back-"

" Sakura!" Touya said sharply. " Get a hold of your senses, you silly girl!"

Sakura's mouth shut close in shock, more then obedience. She stared at Touya in surprise as his dark eyes flashed with anger and disbelief.

" What is he doing here? What is that Li bastard doing here?" He muttered to himself.

Eidan rushed into the house and Sakura nearly flew at him. " Where is he? WHERE IS HE?" She yelled at the top of her lungs, her heart bursting with anxiousness.

" He's a LI!" Eidan told her coldly, knowing the reason of her desperation. " He's a prisoner! He made the stupid mistake of crossing our border!"

" But we were to ally with him, he helped us, do you not remember-"

" Sakura Kinomoto. Remember your name. Your lineage. He is a prisoner!" Eidan repeated, his voice icy.

" HE IS MY HUSBAND!" She finally screamed in frustration.

They stood there shocked at her words and then their eyes flitted behind Sakura. Sakura turned around slowly and she saw, with widened eyes, her father standing there with a crying Samy holding his leg.

" Father..." She whispered. Her father did not know of her marriage to the King of the Li Kingdom. Her brother's had felt it would've been to crushing for him to know of her marriage to such a dirty-blooded man.

" Daughter...is this true...are you...married to him?" Her father said slowly, his watery eyes staring straight tat Sakura.

Sakura gulped. Her fingers shook and she looked at Touya and Eidan fore reassurance. They just looked at her with a cold look; angry at the way she had reacted to Syaoran's arrival.

Sakura looked back at her father and down to the floor.

" Yes. It's true."

Her father nodded slowly. HE looked up at her and then whispered, " So you are no longer a Kinomoto."

Sakura looked up quickly, her face contorted in pain. " No! No I am always a Kinomoto! Always!"

" But you are now a Li."

" Father, please-" She broke off and then Touya cut in.

" She married him for her safety, as he says," Touya added in scornfully. " It was not for love. They were to get it annulled, but we were..." He seemed to be picking his words carefully and said, finally, "We were pressed for time."

Sakura winced at his words and looked at Fujitaka. He looked as if he had hardly listened to his eldest son and stared at Sakura, judgingly. Sakura felt her body tense. She loved the man but her family always came first. Did he think...

Then Fujitaka said, " Invite the boy for dinner. I want to hear his story."

" WHAT?" Eidan and Touya yelled in unison, astonishment clear in their eyes.

Fujitaka turned around, his arms leading Samy away. He repeated, " Invite the boy for dinner. Keep his binds on if you must. But I would like to know this man who married my only daughter, if you please."

With that, he had walked out of the room. Touya, mumbling under his breath, stormed away and Eidan just stood there, appalled. Then he stalked out of the room, leaving Sakura, breathing heavily, alone in the room. Her heart could not bear it. All she wanted to do was run, run to wherever Syoaran was, hold him touch him, hear him speak, one word, one glance..

He was back.

He was _back._

And it was all she could do to hope that he was back for her.

* * *

Sakura stood by the wall, staring at the room's inhabitants angrily. Nearly everyone had showed up for this supposed dinner, even though food was not in sight. It seemed to be a show of some sort, with Syaoran on a chair, his hands tied tightly behind it and the blindfold covering his line of sight in the middle of the room. Everyone kept their distance, remembering of course, the childhood stories that Li men were all monsters, rapists and absolute evil to the core.

The cooks and the servants had showed up, shyly and so had all her brothers, except of course, for Hiiro who had gone off on his traveling adventures. Sakura could hardly breathe, for Syaoran was in her line of sight and all she could do was stare at him.

His broad shoulders, his chestnut coloured hair...the sharp planes of his jaw and the set of his nose...but those beautiful eyes were covered form her view and she yearned to see them, yearned to have them look at her...

It had been almost a year since she had seen him and all she still loved him with all her heart.

The room was silent as Fujitaka walked in, his eyes taking in the room's inhabitants with only a slight sign of surprise.

Eidan scorned, " The prisoner is here, father, just like you asked. I don't exactly know what you want to know about him. He's the KING of the Li people! He's a monster, straight and through! If you need proof, ask him about the way he left Sakura burning! Ask him!"

Fujitaka sent him a look and Eidan shut his mouth. Kosumo remarked, " He did save her at the end."

Yukito cut in, " But if he were there, instead of off dealing with his own business, he would've been able to save her."

Fujitaka said quietly, " Yukito. Translate for me."

Yukito looked at Fujitaka and sighed. He walked up to Syaoran and said coldly, " Li King. We meet again."

Syaoran jerked at the voice and then looked wildly up. " You're...you're Keili's brother, aren't you?" The relief in his voice nearly made Sakura's heart break and she felt herself take an involuntary step forward, but Yamazaki caught her arm. She looked up into Yamazaki's eyes, pleading with him but he shook his head silently.

Not yet.

" My father, he wants to speak with you. He wants to know, why you are here in our kingdom."

Syaoran whispered, quietly, " I want to see Keili."

" You will not see my sister, nor will you come into contact with her. I will ask you again. Why are you in our Kingdom after you nearly killed our sister?"

" I DIDN'T-" He started to shout and then he breathed. And then he said, slowly, " King Kinomoto...if you allow me, I would like-I would like to explain...everything. You may think I did something evil to your daughter-but I would just like you to hear me out and maybe...let me see her, just-" She heard his breath catch and with it, her heart stopped. " Just once."

Yukito translated and then looked at Fujitaka, who was looking interestedly at Syaoran.

" Tell the boy, to tell us...tell us everything. A story, if you will. We haven't had any interesting stories for a long while. If he can tell me a good enough story...we will permit him to see Sakura."

Yukito made a disgusted face and Touya shouted in disapproval. But no one fought against Fujitaka's decision, and Yukito told Syoaran what Fujitaka had said.

Sakura could not believe what her father was asking. The fact that her father had even accepted Syoaran into their home was shocking alone...the fact that her father was giving Syaoran a chance was even more astounding. But her father had changed a great deal after Oribia...they all had...and she knew, he would give Syoaran a chance.

It was all she could do to hold herself back. To not shout out his name and to not run forward, free him from his bindings and run, run far away..

But she knew, her family must approve of him first. So she held herself still, and kept her eyes, trained on the man she loved with all her heart...and hoped, hoped that her father would approve...and that Syoaran did indeed come here...for her.

Syaoran breathed hard. " I'm not good at telling stories," he said, his voice hard and almost nervous.

" Then you surrender the offer of seeing my sister-"

" No!" He said quickly and then calmed himself. " I'll...tell you a story."

Sakura heard a maid beside her mumble, " This hadbetter be good."

"I'll tell you a story...about a man. About a boy, actually. Sixteen years old and a fool. And this boy just happened to the be the heir to one of the most powerful Kingdoms in the world..."

a/n: dun dun duuuuuuun...nanana...lol, I dunno if i should keep Red's speech. for those who have read sevenwaters, you think i should? anyways, yea, this is the nexto chapto, and i hope you like it! and yea, for those who thought Syaoran was there in the end...it was just her imagination or her longing or watever.

we're so close to end! like...one or two more chapters! AND THATS IT! aww..imma miss you all...miss me too! _shakes fist_ u'd better...


	27. A Finish

Chapter Twenty Seven

Misty Dreams

Card Captor Sakura

-starjade

A Finish

Sakura felt her body relax while listening to his words...She hadn't thought she would ever meet him again, much less in her own Kingdom, telling her family about their story..._their story._

Her eyes were completely trained on him and it was all she could do to prevent herself from running to him, touching him...Maybe he felt the same? Would he come all the way here...if he didn't?

" I would do anything for your sister..."

Yet it was not the time for contemplation, rather for listening. Even though she could hardly stay in her seat, without bursting forth to where Syaoran was, she kept herself under control and listened hard for his next words.

" I am guessing this _heir_ to the Kingdom is you, then?" Eidan smirked, as Yukito translated Syaoran's words. Yukito didn't bother to translate Eidan's words for Syaoran and instead, looked at the King expectantly.

Syaoran let out a breath and shifted in the seat he was sitting in. Sakura knew he had no idea where he was, and how many people were actually listening...he probably had no idea she was listening as well..

She really did not believe her brothers. How they could be so cold hearted to the man who in all's sense, saved her life, saved her from Oribia and saved them from an angry mob of Li soldiers. But then again, the rivalry and hatred between the two Kingdoms was so deep, she guessed it would be hard to let go...but it had been almost a year since they had last met Syaoran.

Couldn't they let this one grudge go?

He was her husband..._their_ brother in law..

If, of course, the marriage still meant something to him, Sakura thought forebodingly in her mind. Her fingers rested on the wooden ring that was around her ring finger, still and to this day. Ever since he had told her to keep it...that it hardly meant anything to him if it didn't to her...she had worn it on her ring finger, her wedding finger.

She hadn't, of course, dedicated her life to his memory. But no matter as she lived her dreams of becoming a Healer and supported her family...she could not get him out of her mind.

And now he was here. In the flesh...

" This boy was..." Syaoran whispered, his voice quiet and steadily rising to higher volumes, "...he was...very cold hearted. He didn't care about the world around him and only concentrated on his training and becoming a King. He knew about the rivalry between the Li and Kinomoto Kingdoms and hated Kinomotos, for his father had been killed in one of those dreadful wars...and he had never gotten over it. Until...one day, a little boy was sold to a close friend of his. Yamaki, was his name. He wanted someone, a page or whatnot but he was quite cheap and did not want to spend the money to train one-"

" What does this have to do with you and my sister?" Yukito broke in, sceptically.

Syaoran paused, raising his blindfolded face to the direction Sakura's brother was talking from. " This is my story. I would like to think I could at least say it my way."

Yukito looked at his father, incredulously, however Fujitaka let out a small display of amusement. " The boy is right. Let him continue."

Yukito glared at Syaoran, and Sakura wondered what was up with her brother. Yukito was the smart one, the intelligent one and she knew, from his past words and references, that he understood her love for the Li man. But now, he was pretending as if Syaoran had never done them a great favour and that he was nothing but dirt under his shoe!

Syaoran took a deep breath and Sakura saw the sweat growing on the sides of his face, and from the tone of his voice, his nervousness seemed to be increasing, rather then diminishing. " Yes, well...This little boy's name was Kei. He had stowed away on a Li ship, and had come from the Kinomoto lands. They used to call him...Kei Li.."

Sakura's breath caught in her throat at the familiar name but Yamazaki's hand tightened at her wrist. _Don't say a word._

Sakura wanted to hear the rest of the story and would not interrupt. She did not need Yamazaki's warning, but kept close anyway. Yamazaki hardly found the time to spend in the castle anymore...he must've thought this event needed his presence.

" The beggar boy only stayed with them for two days until the prince's uncle, Duke Jel Tyran found out about it. It was...absolutely disgusting. Kei Li was executed, hung in fact. It was then, the Li prince was forced to mature and realize that the Li people were not as perfect as they claimed to be. For every human has the capability to be evil. And the Li people had just proved it. So, the prince's hatred towards Kinomoto decreased and instead, redirected towards his uncle."

Sakura remembered Tomoyo's words from one of the first conversations they had ever had. "_Syaoran got over it but he hated Kinomotos too. Until he saw a little beggar boy, stowed away on a ship get hanged. The beggar boy had traveled here with cargo from Kinomoto lands and everyone was so angry at the fact that a Kinomoto had landed here that they hanged him only two days later._"

She had no idea whatsoever the meaning behind that name...but now she knew.

Eriol shrugged as well, and the woman huffed. " Syaoran, you got a name for her?"  
Syaoran looked startled. " Uh...I dunno, how about...Keili."

Eriol and Yamaki exchanged glances as the farmer's wife exclaimed over the excellent name. Syaoran looked rather uncomfortable as the Farmer seemed to look over Sakura then stared at Syaoran in a sort of startled surprise.

The memory came unbidden but rang true in her mind. Before she could contemplate it, however, Syaoran was talking once more.

" However, the worst was yet to come. His cousin, Meiling...dressed up as a man, got caught by the Kinomoto soldiers...and then, was never seen again. Yet, he remained in faith that she was alive...and went, often, for months at a time...searching through the Kinomoto lands for her. But then one day, he did find something...and it was not his cousin."

Sakura's skin prickled. Her heart thumped wildly against her chest and she was sure the rest of the room could hear it, for the room was dead silent. Everyone's expressions were of utmost attentiveness and Syaoran took another breath as his voice began to waver.

" It was a girl. Scrawny and small and half drowned. Her hands were swollen and puffy and she was strange, would never utter a word, not even a scream. All she carried was a small pack and he knew she was a Kinomoto however...something drew him to her. Something he had seen in his dreams before...those green eyes. He had saved her life, yet she continued to fight...until, he found a necklace in her pack which was the same as Meiling's. He grew urgent and demanded she stay with him until Meiling was found. This girl was his only lead to Meiling...yet she could not speak a word."

Sakura could feel her brother's eyes on her and she looked down, her eyes directing themselves to the floor. She had never fully explained what had happened that had landed her in the Prince's hold and here, the Prince was, baring everything that had occured infront of her family.

"The prince often wondered...if his worst mistake was to bring her to his Kingdom. She was like a caged animal, beautiful and exotic...yet, considered ugly and foreign in my household. People were mean to her andtreated her...badly. She saved a dear friend of the prince's baby and yet this only confirmed people's beliefs that she was a witch, rather then win their hearts. He watched over her, continued to protect her, for a reason he did not know."

Yukito let out a snort and Fujitaka gave him a warning look. However Syoaran was too far gone in his story telling to realize the Kinomoto's disdain. Sakura, however, was nearly as lost in the story as he was. Her heart was thumping so hard, she was sure the noises would echo in the room but they remained contained her body as her voice had been when she was cursed.

" She had saved him once, when they were traveling to the Li Kingdom. Patched him up good with her rough hands and saved him from death. She still kept care of him throughout her stay at the castle and she understood...she _understood_...him. He had never known such a thing and before long, his nights would be filled with dreams...of her...and he did not care that she was a Kinomoto with strange habits, mute and with swollen hands...Hell, he was haunted by dreams that kept him up late nights...imagining the touch of those hands on his skin-"

" I think that is quite enough," Yukito interrupted, his voice cold and hard. " We wish not to hear of your attractions to my sister."

" I never said this story was about me, did I?" Syaoran replied, his voice just as frigid. " I would appreciate it if you did not interrupt me."

Yukito's eyes narrowed and Touya took a step forward, threateningly but Fujitaka held him back. Syaoran wanted to get it all out, that was for certain. Sakura had a deep suspicion, he had never spoken of this to anyone. His voice trembled at certain parts and some even held a tone of uncertainty to it, as if he had never come to terms with what he was saying he had felt.

Syaoran kept talking, his voice hoarse from overuse and from the emotions being piled into the story. " Yet he should've known, that...that his Kingdom, his people would never accept it. But when he had gotten a lead, a promising one on Meiling...He could not say no but he could not leave her to fend for herself. It was a bit selfish of the Prince, really. There were other options, but he was...fool hardy."

"He...married her. Promising her, it was for name only. How he wished it was for otherwise, yet, he knew she didn't feel the same way...So he left, assured that his name would protect her...however, he had bargained without his Uncle. His uncle was an evil man, a son of a bitch, if I ever saw one. He accused her of many horrendous things and imprisoned her, leaving her on the stake to burn."

His voice was hardening and anger seeped into his tone as he hissed, "That bastard was burning her...and the Li prince would not, would _never _let that happen. He grabbed her from the fire, but before that...he heard her voice. Her voice and it was calling his name...and she saved him, once again...and he held her in my-his arms...but then there were her brothers, like six knights of shining armour and I-he let her go...I let her go, hoping she may come back, _knowing_ she never would."

Then he let outhis breath and Sakura knew she was crying, tears were rushing down her cheeks faster then she knew possible. Yamazaki had let her go and she stood there, listening to his words and silently sobbing.

It was too much.

She had never known... _never_ suspected..

" And as he repaired his...Kingdom, all he could think about was her. All he dreamt about was her. And all I want her to know...even though she is never with me, I see her everyday. I see her in every water droplet of rain, in the forest of oaks, in the ripples in the lake, in every flower, seed, leaf and bark...I hear her voice in the bird cries, see her smile in the clouds...for she is the very essence of my being. The beat of my heart, the rush of my blood, the feel of my skin...the breath of my breath..."

Sakura's fists clenched tightly and she felt herself sink to the ground, overcome by the flood of emotions. He had never spoken like this. _Ever_. She had never known. His cold eyes, and his actions...never, she had thought it was the spell, her mother's spell.

But now, she knew, it was never her mother's spell. Her mother could not cast magic like that beyond the grave.

Everything was for real.

His feelings...were all, real, real as their bodies, their hearts and their minds. It was real.

He had come back for _her_. Impossible, it was impossible but deep in heart, she knew all that was coming out of his mouth was true.

" Who is he talkin about?" She heard a maid whisper.

" Dunno, but if she doesn't accept him, I will.." Another responded.

" One hunk of a man, ain't he?" A cook giggled.

Fujitaka stood and cleared his throat. The action caused the room to silence once more and his eyes viewed the room in one sweep. Then his eyes turned to his daughter and he walked towards her. " Well...Sakura?"

Sakura looked up to her father, tears streaked down her cheeks. She nodded in acknowledgement and he smiled, softly in return.

" Go."

The short command caused the room to go dead and everyone whipped around, staring in shock at the previous King of the Kinomoto people.

The man who was supposed to hate and loathe all Li people for the monsters they were.

She stared.

Her brothers stared.

It was silent again and all that was left was her heavy breathing and the surprised mumbles and gasps from the maids and cooks.

" Go...Go to your husband. Untie him. He has...proved himself more then worthy for my only daughter. Go. Be happy," Fujitaka said, his voice getting even more quieter and softer as he went on. His eyes grew sad and Sakura knew he was thinking about Sakura's mother. " Be happy..."

Touya yelped, " Are you _sure_ you're making the right decision-"

Fujitaka turned and looked at him, with a look they had nearly forgotten for over theses years, he had been taken over by Oribia. It was the look of a father, scolding a child and Sakura felt her heart warm and her brother shut up, instantly.

" Go."

Sakura didn't waste a breath. Heart jumping to her throat she walked to Syaoran, watching his body tense at the sounds of her footsteps coming closer to him.She knew that the room's occupants were staringat the two of them, but shedidn't care.Her body tingled and she felt herself fight for every breath, celebrating a victory for every sane thought.

And then she placed a hand, painstakingly, breathtakingly, on the back of his neck.

Wanting to comfort him, she raised her palm and placed it on the back of his neck. His skin was warm and her whole body tingled, straight from her palm to the tips of her toes. Her breath was taken away from her but it had an opposite effect on Syaoran. He jerked away from her, eyes wide with anger, ferocity, sadness and another emotion she couldn't define.

Sakura heard his breath catch and he strained on his bonds, trying to look around.

" Who-" He started to ask but she had already walked around him, untying the bonds around his eyes.

His eyes flied open and connected with hers.

And everything was once again silent. Yet this time, it was only the two of them.

" ...Sakura..." He whispered, his amber eyes bright.

Her heart panged and throbbed and bled and it was all she could do to not touch him. She was content, to stare at him, to see the man she loved, in front of her...in front of her..

" Untie me," He said, his voice hoarse. Sakura nodded, bending down to take the knife from his boot where she knew it would be and cut the binds around his wrists. And then he was up and around and he had pulled her to his body and held her so close, so tightly...And she kissed his eyes, his cheeks, his nose and his forehead, her hands stroking his hair, fisting themselves in his locks. And his hands were caressing her back, running up her arms, as if he hardly believed she was there, in front of him, and then his hands were cupping her cheeks and he croaked, " Sakura...I-"

She leaned into his warmth and gently smiled. " I know."

" I-I-" He struggled to say the words and Sakura kissed the corner of his mouth, softly, her eyes trained on his.

"I know," She repeated. His eyes looked into hers and she saw the expression in them that was so familiar to her and she wondered why she had never recognized...never saw...but then all sane thought flew out of her mind as and he leaned in, hesitating, his breath hot on her lips. Even now, asking permission. After all he said, asking permission. And with a burst of emotion, Sakura pulled him close, pressing her lips against his, in a kiss that was not gentle, nor tender. It was a passion, a love, a connection of two souls, as their lips met and met again, their tongues clashing and tasting and exploring and knowing and loving...

And it was only when a loud cough, broke them apart. Looking up, they saw that the room was nearly empty except for Fujitaka. He walked up to them, smiling a little.

" Welcome to our home, son in law," My father said, his voice gentle.

" I-" He could not speak and Sakura knew, for she could not speak either.

His father nodded, understanding. And he whispered, " Please, stay this night."

Syaoran nodded and Fujitaka walked away, a small smile on his face. Syoaran looked down at Sakura and his eyes were bright. " Sakura...I-"

His voice broke and Sakura led him away, into the corridors of the castle and down to her room. Heart banging with an overload of emotions, she pulled him in as he repeated, " I-I need you, Sakura, I-"

" Shh.." She whispered, her finger against his lips. " No more."

He nodded and she blew the candle out. And together, they shared the night, the passion and its wake.

----

Fujitaka was adamant. Syaoran had stayed for a week at the Kinomoto household and had gotten to know the country. His brothers still stayed testy with him but their coldness ebbed as he taught them a few Li techniques of fighting. He hit it off, surprisingly well, with Eidan who had gone crazy over the new techniques of staff handling Syaoran knew.

But Sakura knew, he had a Kingdom to return to. A Kingdom to run and take care of. Fujitaka could see it too and when the day loomed when Syaoran would have to return, he smiled painfully at her and told her that he would miss her. Sakura had replied, strongly that she wasn't leaving but Fujitaka shook his head.

She had a duty too. She had a duty to end the feud between the two countries and help heal the years of hurt that had grown in these battles.

And it was a tearful goodbye. Her brothers were shocked but had accepted her decision, faster then she would've thought. She had reminded them that if their sister was the Queen of the enemy country then it would be impossible for any feud to occur, for any mishandlings or cunning exchanges to happen.

" Syaoran?" She whispered, as he held her from behind, holding her close as the wind flew past them.

" Yes?"

" You really think they'll like me this time?" She turned around and faced him, her eyes meeting his.

Syaoran's lips twitched in amusement as he rose a hand to her chin. " I think we're gonna have to be beating Yamaki away with a stick, that's for sure."

Sakura laughed and Syaoran held her tighter. " I always wanted to hear your laugh," He whispered into her ear. "You'd smile and it was as if my world had...brightened. And I'd imagine your laugh..."

" Syaoran-"

" But it's better then anything I could've imagined-"

" Syaoran, I don't feel so good.."

Syaoran looked down to see Sakura bent over the ship, emptying her guts. Then he laughed, uproariously at her seasick face. " I remember you were seasick the first time-"

" Shut up," Sakura said with a grin on her face, trying to steady herself on the ship. She'd have to get used to boats anyways. She was planning on visiting her family a whole lot, anyway.

" Kura!"

She turned around and grinned at the little toddler who was racing around the boat, eyes wide in amazement. " Kura, water! Lots and lotsand lots!"

Sakura giggled and walked past Syaoran, picking up the toddler. " A lot of water, isn't there?"

Samy smiled at her, his eyes twinkling, reminding her horribly of Oribia. Oribia's soul was still out there. Sakura had taken Samy with her, for he was still...not the most popular kid in the Kinomoto Kingdom. She had thought it safer to be in a Kingdom where no one knew of his heritage.

But Oribia was still out there. And most likely planning revenge.

Syaoran took Samy out of Sakura's arms and held him high up in the air and the little boy squealed in laughter. " Wait until we get to my Kingdom," Syaoran said in a mock roar. " Not only will there be a lot of water...there will be a lot of sweets!"

Sakura grinned as the boy began to name off his favourite sweets. She had never expected any of this to happen. For Syaoran to have come after her, for her to become the future Queen of the Li Kingdom, for any of this.

But it had happened.

And she was happier then she had ever been in her life.

For after he had remarried, the woman turned out to be an evil witch

Who cursed the brothers into swans and left the daughter

To roam the lands, stitching starwort in silence

To break this curse

But instead, she found love in the most unlikely places

And proved her strength over and over

Saving her brothers

And saving her Kingdom

Moving forward and leaving the past

as a **misty dream..**

**-fini-**

a/n: the end part is sort of like an epilogue isnt it? i wasnt actually gonna tie up the ends, but i decided to afterwards. well anyways, Misty Dreams is done and I'd really like to thank all the reviewers, you know, those big lists I usually do at the end, but since that's not allowed anymore, I'd just like to give you guys all a big hug. I'm seriously so happy you guys loved my story that much and you guys convinced me to keep writing, convinced me that my story was good and that it deserved half the praise it gets. ( Well the last one, hasn't quite sunken in yet) I'm glad you forgave me for a loooot of mistakes I made (grammar, Sakura's muteness but suddenly she can talk, and suddenly people know her NAME? Lol, what was i thinking...'shakes head') Your reviews made me laugh (even more your pennames...really, lol, I think one penname had me laughing for a few hours at least..)

I'm talkin like I'm some famous person...ha! Lol, watever, you guys liked the story and hopefully the ending and I know, you guys will probably be with me through my new ventures as well.

sooo with a great big hug and a kiss from me to you! mannn imma miss this!lolllll...byeeeee!


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